Mariam Batsashvili
“The sensitivity and precision with which she presents lyrical passages, imbued with an airy lightness, is breathtaking. In the Andante, one could almost feel hearts skipping a beat as she let the melody-unfolding with an almost majestic grace-emerge from the initial repeated notes. Her precise, refined touch shaped the entire evening in the most exhilarating way, with sparkling runs and resonant bass lines flowing from her fingers with such effortless ease that a touch of humour always seemed to be peeking around the corner.” – Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, 4 June 2024Mariam Batsashvili’s musicianship seems to speak directly to the heart, transforming each musical phrase into something truly special. Her rich palette of tone colours, thoughtful interpretations, and superb touch move and delight audiences around the world. She has also gained considerable attention for her highly successful social media presence, especially her popular video tutorials. Her debut album “Chopin & Liszt” was released by Warner Classics in August 2019, followed by her second album “Romantic Piano Masters” in August 2022.
She first achieved international recognition in 2014 when she won the 10th Franz Liszt Piano Competition in Utrecht, and she was nominated by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) as a “Rising Star” for the 2016/17 season. She made her acclaimed debut at the Philharmonie Berlin in the “Debüt im Deutschlandfunk Kultur” series. As a BBC New Generation Artist, she appeared for the first time at the Cheltenham Festival, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and with the Ulster Orchestra at the BBC Proms. Since then, she has remained a highly sought-after guest in the UK.
A regular performer at London’s Wigmore Hall and the Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Batsashvili has given recitals in over 30 countries, including China, South Korea, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, France, Spain, Norway, the Baltic States, the Benelux countries, and Germany. In May 2021, she made her debut at the Wiener Konzerthaus. She has also performed at renowned festivals such as the Edinburgh International Festival, Schumannfest Düsseldorf, Beethovenfest Bonn, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Milan Piano City, and Piano aux Jacobins in Toulouse.
In the 2024/25 season, she will appear at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, in the “Kammermusik +” series at the Heidelberger Frühling, at the Konzerthaus Berlin, and on tour with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra under Shiyeon Sung at the Großes Festspielhaus Salzburg and in Belgium. She will also perform with the Hallé Orchestra Manchester under Kahchun Wong.
Born in Tbilisi, Mariam Batsashvili began studying piano at the age of five with Natalie Natsvlishvilian at the Evgeni Mikeladze Music School. From an early age, she developed a deep passion for the piano works of Franz Liszt. She continued her training under Grigory Gruzman at the University of Music in Weimar, a city closely associated with the Romantic composer. In 2011, she won First Prize at the International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists in Weimar, and in 2015 she received the prestigious Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Award.
Mariam Batsashvili is a scholarship holder of the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben and receives support from The Keyboard Charitable Trust. She has been an official Yamaha Artist since 2017.
Photo: Mariam Batsashvili @Attila Kleb
