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Born in Brazil, Nelson Freire began piano studies at the age of three with Nise Obino and Lucia Branco, who had worked with a pupil of Liszt. He made his first public appearance at the age of five with Mozart Sonata in A K.331. In 1957, after winning the Rio de Janeiro International Piano Competition with his performance of Beethoven's “Emperor” concerto, the president of Brazil presented him with a financial scholarship which allowed him to study with Bruno Seidlhofer, teacher of Friedrich Gulda, in Vienna. Seven years later, Freire won the Dinu Lipatti Medal in London, as well as the first prize at the International Vianna da Motta Competition in Lisbon.
Nelson Freire's international career starts in 1959 with recitals and concerts
in the most important cities in Europe, the United States, South and Central
America, Japan and Israel. He has collaborated with distinguished conductors
such as Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Valery Gergiev, Hans Graf, Eugene
Jochum, Fabio Luisi, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Rudolf Kempe (with whom
he toured several times the United States and Germany with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), John Nelson, Vaclav Neumann, Seiji Ozawa, André Previn,
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, David Zinman and Hugh Wolff.
He is invited by prestigious orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Bayerische Rundfunk, Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich, Vienna Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, London Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Radio France Philharmonic, Monte Carlo Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, as well as American Orchestras of Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia… In 1999, Nelson Freire marked the 150th anniversary of Chopin's death with a triumphant performance of the composer's Concerto No. 2 in Warsaw. In 2001 he is Chairman of the Jury of the Marguerite Long Competition in Paris.
Recently he performed at the Carnegie Hall in New York, with the St. Petersburg Symphony in Saint-Petersburg, in the Prague Spring Festival, with the Orchestre National de France, Baltimore, Boston, Montreal, New York, Utah, English Chamber Orchestra (in France and Portugal), Orchestra della Svitzerra Italiana, and gave recitals in Brussels, Paris, Rome, Munich, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Zurich. In 2002/03 he toured Europe under Riccardo Chailly with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam and the Orchestra G. Verdi of Milano. He is also the soloist of the Tonhalle Zurich Orchestra, NHK of Tokyo and tours South America with the Orchestra Verdi. In October 2003 he gives recitals with Martha Argerich in Japan and tours Germany in November 2003 with the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse under Michel Plasson (Brahms 2 and Schumann). In September and October 2004 he gives an “historical” recital tour with Martha Argerich in Brazil and Argentina.
Nelson Freire has recorded for Sony/CBS, Teldec, DGG, IPAM, and London
labels. In 1999, Philips released a CD of his most coveted performances
on their acclaimed series, Great Pianists of the 20th Century and his recording
of Chopin's 24 Préludes on CBS received the “Prix Edison”. In
October 2001 he signed an exclusive contract with DECCA. His Chopin recording
received the most prestigious prizes in 2002 : Diapason d'Or, Grand Prix
de l'Académie Charles Cros, Choc du Monde de la Musique, 10
by Repertoire, Classica. Just released : a second CD dedicated to Schumann
(Diapason d'Or, Choc du Monde de la Musique …), and a portrait, “Nelson
FREIRE”, by Video Film (Brazil). To be released : a new Chopin recital
and the Brahms Concertos with the Gewandhaus zu Leipzig under Riccardo
Chailly.
Nelson Freire was nominated “Soloist of the Year 2002” by French Victoires de la Musique and receives in January 2005 a special “Honours Award” for his career.
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