The musical publications called Alexander Schimpf an exceptional pianist early on in his career. In 2020, his long awaited first CD production with orchestra was published by CAvi music, documenting his long-term cooperation with Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie. For this transparent recording of the Mozart Piano Concertos K. 413-415 with a variable string lineup (under concert master Gabriel Adorján), Alexander Schimpf added his own stylistically confident cadenzas, which makes his personal involvement with Mozart audible in a special way.
After success in renowned competitions in Bonn (German Music Competition 2008), Vienna (1st prize International Beethoven Competition 2009) and Cleveland/USA (1st prize Cleveland International Piano Competition 2011), Mr. Schimpf established himself as a sought after soloist on multiple continents. Despite his meteoric international success, he shows a remarkable calm, stating: “I am in no hurry with these things; they should get to take the time they need.”
His artistic development is founded, just as his interpretations, on the aspiration of a lasting significance. In addition to his involvement with the classical repertoire, Mr. Schimpf regularly takes a stand for modern and contemporary music. Over the past several years he has been responsible for about 30 premiere performances of solo and chamber music works.
Born in Göttingen in 1981, Alexander Schimpf graduated from his studies with Wolfgang Manz and Bernd Glemser. Later on, pianists Cécile Ousset and Janina Fialkowska were important influences. Since 2009, under the labels of GENUIN and Oehms classics, three solo CDs including works by Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, and others, were published. In 2013, Alexander Schimpf was presented with the ”Bavarian State Award for the Advancement of the Arts” in Munich.
Invitations to piano recitals and solo performances with orchestras led him to perform in numerous German cities (among them Gasteig München, Konzerthaus Berlin, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Kölner Philharmonie, NDR Hannover, Beethovenhaus Bonn, Heidelberger Frühling, Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele) as well as Zankel Hall/Carnegie Hall in New York City, Auditorium du Louvre and Salle Cortot in Paris, Konzerthaus Vienna, the Marinskij Concert Hall in St. Petersburg, and the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid. Radio recordings of his concerts were made for, BR, NDR, SWR, ORF, Radio France, and more.
His extensive tenure in the United States brought him work as a soloist with multiple symphony orchestras, as well as recitals in New York City, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, among others. In addition to performances in most European countries, he performed in China, Taiwan and Vietnam as well as multiple times in South America.
As chamber musician, he collaborated with violinist Christian Tetzlaff, violist Nils Mönkemeyer, cellist Julian Steckel, baritone Thomas E. Bauer and the Armida Quartett, among many others. In 2016 he was appointed to be professor for piano at the HMTM Hannover (Germany).