Alexandre Tharaud (born 9 December 1968 in Paris) is a French pianist, the son of a dance teacher at the Opéra de Paris and an amateur operetta singer. He began piano studies at age five, entered the Conservatoire de Paris at 14, and won first prize in Germaine Mounier’s class at 17. He placed in several international competitions, including third prize at the 1987 Maria Canals Competition in Barcelona and second prize at the 1989 ARD International Music Competition in Munich. In 2012 he appeared as himself in Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or- and Oscar-winning film Amour, alongside Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva.

One of France’s most prolific recording pianists, Tharaud has built an eclectic discography ranging from Bach, Rameau, and Scarlatti to Chopin, Ravel, and Satie, earning numerous Diapason d’Or awards; his 2020 collaboration with soprano Sabine Devieilhe, Chanson d’Amour, paired his pianism with her voice in French mélodie repertoire.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Tharaud