SUBMITTED BY ARTSPRING
ArtSpring opens its Canadian-focused 2025/26 season with what promises to be one of the most elegant and captivating concerts of the season.
Internationally acclaimed pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin will grace the ArtSpring stage on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. What better way to begin a season celebrating Canadian talent than with one of our country’s finest artists?
Silver medallist and winner of the Krystian Zimerman Prize at the prestigious 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition, Richard-Hamelin has since emerged as one of the most important pianists of his generation. His artistry, praised for its sensitivity and refinement, has earned him invitations to major classical music festivals and concert halls across the globe.
Born and raised in Québec, Richard-Hamelin has accumulated a remarkable list of distinctions, including the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Career Development Award from the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto, and most recently, the Prix Denise-Pelletier in 2022. At just 33 years old, he became the youngest recipient of this award, the Québec government’s highest honour in the performing arts.
His musical journey has brought him to the stage with some of the world’s leading orchestras, performing under the batons of celebrated conductors such as Kent Nagano, Rafael Payare, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Bernard Labadie, among many others. Whether interpreting the delicate poetry of Chopin, the grandeur of Beethoven or the lyricism of French repertoire, Richard-Hamelin is known for his profound musicality and ability to draw audiences deeply into the music.
For his ArtSpring debut, he brings a program highlighting Debussy’s Suite bergamasque (including the beloved Clair de Lune), Ravel’s Sonatine and Poulenc’s Suite Napoli, before finishing with Chopin’s four Scherzos, works that showcase both incredible technique and emotional depth.
In addition to his live performances, Richard-Hamelin has recorded 12 albums on the Analekta label (Outhere Music), each one garnering acclaim from critics worldwide. His recordings of Chopin’s works in particular have been hailed as benchmarks for their depth, clarity and emotional resonance.
Audiences at ArtSpring can expect a concert filled with nuance, passion and extraordinary artistry — an intimate encounter with one of Canada’s most gifted musicians at the height of his career.
Tickets are available through ArtSpring, in person at the box office and online at artspring.ca.