Critically acclaimed as ‘...one of the greatest Interpreter of J.S. Bach´s work of his generation’, Pianist Stepan Simonian was born in 1981, studied at Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Pavel Nersessian and pursued his studies with the famous Pianist, Evgeni Koroliov, at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. It was through this linage of well cultured tradition of piano school, that shaped Simonian’s musical taste and passion for the works from Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Beethoven, Bach and Mozart.
He was the recipient of the Silver Medal at one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions in the world – the International Johann-Sebastian-Bach Competition in Leipzig 2010, Germany. He also won the 1st and the 3rd prize at Virginia Waring and Jose Iturbi International Piano Competitions both in USA and was awarded the prestigious Berenberg Cultural Prize 2009 in Hamburg in recognition of his achievements in chamber music. In 2014 he won the 3rd prize at Aram Khachaturian International Piano Competition in Armenia.
Stepan Simonian performs as a guest artist at some of the most important festivals and concert venues throughout Europe, including Bachfest Leipzig, International Piano Festivals „La Roque d'Antheron“and "Piano aux Jacobins" in France, Mosel Music Festival, ProArte concert series Hamburg, Pro Musica Hannover, Alte Oper Frankfurt/Main, Grosse Sendesaal Hannover, Laieszhalle and Rolf-Liebermann-Studio in Hamburg, Prinzregententheater Munich amongst many others.
He has appeared as a soloist with the Bach Kollegium Stuttgart under Helmuth Rilling, the Kirov Ballet Orchestra, Hamburg Symphony Orchestra under David Porcelijn, Sinfonia Varsovia with Arie van Beek, I Pomeriggi Musicali Milan, the Moscow State Chamber Orchestra and Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig.
Stepan's performances have been broadcasted on major classical stations including ARD, MDR, NDR, SWR, Hessian and Bavarian Broadcasting, Deutschlandradio Kultur, Radio France etc.
His Debut CD with recording of entire Bach Keyboard Toccatas (GENUIN) was highly praised by critics:
“...this release strikes me as one of the most exciting accounts of Bach’s toccatas on piano”
Rob Haskins, American Record Guide
“A brilliant debut, Stepan Simonian already proved to be one of the greatest Bach-Interpreter of his generation”
Andreas Grabner, BR Klassik
Since 2009 Stepan Simonian works as a tenure Professor at his Alma Mater, the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, where he lectures in solo piano performance, as well as in chamber music.