Markus Bellheim (Klavier)

Markus Bellheim was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1973. He began studying the piano at the age of five and played also organ and the clarinet. At fifteen, he went to the Musikschule in Hanover. In 1993, he continued his piano studies in the class of Erich Appel and organ studies with Guenter Kauzinger at the Musikhochschule in Wuerzburg, where he received his piano diploma with distinction. During his training as a soloist, he was also taught the accompaniment of lied by Charles Spencer at the Musikhochschule in Frankfurt and at several master-classes by Gundula Janowitz, Hans Hotter and Helmut Deutsch. He was influenced by pianists like Bernd Glemser, Klaus Hellwig and Igor Shukov all of whom he frequented, but his most important meeting was with Yvonne Loriod, with whom he was able to work in Paris in 1998/99 thanks to a bursary awarded by the Cite International des Arts.
 
In December 2000 Markus Bellheim won the First Prize - Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris, and two special prizes (for the best interpretation of Oiseaux exotiques and parts from Catalogue d’Oiseaux) at the Olivier Messiaen International Piano Competition in Paris. In 2002 he was appointed to the winner in the category “Discovery of the Year” at  MIDEM Classic in Cannes.
 
Markus Bellheim has performed with orchestras and ensembles like, Muenchner Rundfunkorchester, Orchestra del Teatro di San Carlo/Napoli, Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, Ensemble Itineraire, Ensemble Intercontemporain,  under conductors like, Sylvain Cambreling, Jan Latham Koenig, Karl Anton Rickenbacher, Hiroshi Wakasugi. The artist has taken part  in many festivals like, Schubertiade Feldkirch, Beethoven Festival in Bonn, Accademia Filharmonica Romana, Dresdner Tage der zeitgenossischer Musik, Nuova Consonanza Roma, Bratislava Music Festival... Spring 2003 Bellheim made a big European tour with the Sued-West Rundfunk Orchestra playing the two most important works for piano and orchestra by Olivier Messiaen (Turangalila-Symphonie, and La Transfiguration de notre Seigneur Jesus-Christ).
 
As chamber musician Markus Bellheim has performed with, among others, Sigune von Osten, Armand Angster, Peter Lucas Graf, Accroche Note, Minguet-Quartet. His chamber music activities are often devoted to the accompaniment of lied. The whole Messiaen work for piano solo is presented by the pianist during a highly esteemed cycle of 4 extensive recitals.
 
Markus Bellheim made several Radio and TV recordings in several countries. Among others, the renown “Mezzo” TV Channel presented him with a recital in the cycle “Revelation”. The first CD of the artist, recently released by JADE, includes works by Stravinsky, Liszt, Debussy, Benjamin and Messiaen.