Ralph van Raat
Biography Ralph van Raat
Ralph van Raat
has been fascinated by classical music of the 20th century since the age of 14. Although his repertoire ranges from Bach to Boulez, his primary focus has always been on composers dating from Debussy, Bartók and Ives to present-day masters. His aim is to convince audiences of the immense beauty and diversity of contemporary music through solo recitals, lecture-recitals, concerto performances, album releases and special projects. Van Raat helps audiences identify with modern day composers by adhering to a classical approach: he firmly believes that a strong sense of classical structure as well as a refinement of tone is essential in conveying the logic and poetry of any music.
This has not gone unrecognised: he is the recipient of a substantial number of national and international awards, many composers have written solo works for him, and he has performed over 50 piano concertos with orchestras worldwide, such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. His discography comprises over 30 albums. Van Raat is also a frequent speaker and performer on radio and television shows, and teaches at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam when not giving concerts. Van Raat became a Steinway Artist in 2003.
