Swiss-Italian pianist Francesco Piemontesi, a native of Locarno, has over the years gained a reputation as one of the leading interpreters of the German classical and romantic repertoire. He appears as a regular guest with many of the world’s leading orchestras, in concert halls and music festivals around the globe, while still being firmly anchored on the shores of Lago Maggiore as Artistic Director of the music festival Settimane Musicali di Ascona.

Highlights of the 2024-25 season include appearances at the BBC Proms, an extensive tour with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, performing Mozart’s Concerto for two pianos KV 365 with Jan Lisiecki under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda. Further ahead, Piemontesi appears with the Filarmonica della Scala, also conducted by Noseda, L’Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai, Gewandhausorchester under Manfred Honeck, and returns to the hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt and SWR Symphonieorchester. Further engagements include returns to the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Chicago and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Budapest Festival Orchestra and London Philharmonic Orchestra with Robin Ticciati, as well as the Helsinki Philharmonik. In recital, Piemontesi appears at Auditorium Lyon, Rudolfinum/Dvořák Hall, Tonhalle Zürich, La Chaux-de-Fonds, to mention just a few.   

Francesco Piemontesi’s musical artistry is documented on numerous recordings that have received awards and critical acclaim, such as Schubert’s last Piano Sonatas, Debussy’s Preludes and Mozart’s Piano Concertos with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Andrew Manze. His latest release on Pentatone is dedicated to two of the most demanding pieces of piano literature: Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes and the B minor Sonata.