Diane Andersen is a Danish born, Belgian classical concert pianist born in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

to a French mother and a Danish father.

Early life and studies

Diane Andersen married

André Gertler André Gertler (26 July 1907 – 23 July 1998) was a Hungarian classical violinist and teacher. Professor at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (1940–1977), Professor at the Cologne Academy of Music (1954–1957), Professor at the College of Musi ...

, a Belgian Hungarian born violinist, in 1958. She thus became a Belgian citizen. Her musical education was influenced by pianists and musicians issues mainly from the Austrian-Hungarian piano school. Stefan Askenase, professor at the

Royal Conservatory of Brussels The Royal Conservatory of Brussels (french: Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, nl, Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel) is a historic conservatory in Brussels, Belgium. Starting its activities in 1813, it received its official name in 1832. Provid ...

a noted Chopin and Mozart player was a truly inspiring teacher for her. Diane graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels at the age of 18. Later she took master classes with

Edith Farnadi Edith Farnadi (25 September 1921 – 12 or 14 December 1973) was a Hungarian pianist. She was born in Budapest and began her studies at the age of 7 at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. She studied with Professor Arnold Székely (also a teacher ...

and the Hungarian pianist Annie Fischer. She had close contacts to composers Zoltan Kodaly,

Alexandre Tansman Alexander Tansman ( pl, Aleksander Tansman, link=no, French: Alexandre Tansman; 12 June 1897 – 15 November 1986) was a Polish composer, pianist and conductor who became a naturalized French citizen in 1938. One of the earliest representatives of ...

, and Darius Milhaud.

Performer and recording artist

During her career Andersen has played in

Victoria Hall (Geneva) The Victoria Hall is a concert hall in Geneva, Switzerland. History The Victoria Hall was built in 1891–1894 by the architect John Camoletti and financed by the British consul, Daniel Fitzgerald Packenham Barton, who dedicated it to Queen Vi ...

, Centre for Fine Arts(Brussels), Liszt Ferenc Zeneakademia (Budapest), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Teatro della Fenice (Venice),

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

(New York), Rudolfinum (Prague), St Martin-in-the-Fields (London) etc. She performed and recorded regularly with violinist

, who was a friend and partner of

Bela Bartok Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal *Bela, Janakpur, ...

. The pair made a number of recordings of Bartok's works. She performed under the baton of

Bruno Maderna Bruno Maderna (21 April 1920 – 13 November 1973) was an Italian conductor and composer. Life Maderna was born Bruno Grossato in Venice but later decided to take the name of his mother, Caterina Carolina Maderna.Interview with Maderna‘s thr ...

Pierre Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 1925 – 5 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war Western classical music. Born in Mont ...

Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch (26 August 1923 – 22 February 2013) was a German conductor and pianist. Biography Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Munich, the son of Maria and Wilhelm Sawallisch. His father was director of the Hamburg-Bremer-Feuerversich ...

, Georges Prêtre,

Jean Fournet Jean Fournet (14 April 1913 – 3 November 2008) was a French flautist and conductor. Fournet was born in Rouen in 1913. His father was a flutist who gave him some instruction on the flute and music theory. Fournet was then trained at the Con ...

, Okko Kanu, David Alexander Rahbee, and with Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, R.A.I. Roma, O.P.L. Liège, Orchestre National Belgium, Halle Symphony Orchestra (Germany), philharmonic orchestras of the Hilversum radios (Holland), Symphonic Orchestra of Erevan (Armenia). Andersen was chosen to play the first performance of the Bartok ''cherzo for piano and orchestra'' in Western Europe under the baton of Berthold Lehman, at the request of Prof. Denijs Dille, founder of the Bartok Archivum in Budapest. Andersen's recordings (EMI, Pavane, Cypres, Fuga Libera, Talent, EMS, Supraphon, Azur classical) have frequently included new or forgotten music, some in world premiere, including the complete piano work by

Gabriel Pierné Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné (16 August 1863 – 17 July 1937) was a French composer, conductor, pianist and organist. Biography Gabriel Pierné was born in Metz. His family moved to Paris, after Metz and part of Lorraine were annexed to Germ ...

Joseph Jongen Joseph Marie Alphonse Nicolas Jongen (14 December 1873 – 12 July 1953) was a Belgian organist, composer, and music educator. Biography Jongen was born in Liège, where his parents had moved from Flanders. On the strength of an amazing precocity ...

, the piano music of

Claude Delvincourt Claude Étienne Edmond Marie Pierre Delvincourt (12 January 1888 – 5 April 1954) was a French pianist and composer of classical music. Biography Delvincourt was born in Paris, the son of Pierre Delvincourt and Marguerite Fourès. He studied ...

Andersen is an active chamber music player, and has recorded many CDs with works by Czerny,

(two pianos four hands),

Adolphe Biarent Adolphe Biarent (16 October 1871 – 4 February 1916) was a Belgian composer, conductor, cellist and music teacher. Biarent studied at the conservatories of Brussels and of Ghent, and was a pupil of Émile Mathieu. He won a Belgian Prix de Rome ...

Ernst Toch Ernst Toch (; 7 December 1887 – 1 October 1964) was an Austrian composer of classical music and film scores. He sought throughout his life to introduce new approaches to music. Biography Toch was born in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, into the family ...

piano quintets with the

Danel Quartet The Danel Quartet (or Quatuor Danel) is a French/Belgian string quartet established in June 1991. Known for classical, early modern and contemporary repertoire, they tour internationally and have an extensive discography. They have both recorded a ...

, also Toch Second Piano concerto with Halle Philharmonic Orchestra and Hans Rotman conducting, received positive reviews. Andersen has premiered works by American composers Michael Slayton and

Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee (born February 9, 1938) is an Armenian-American contemporary classical composer and pedagogue. Biography Rahbee was born and raised in Waltham Massachusetts. Her father, Peter Aharon Goolkasian, was a survivor of the ...

(the piano concerto and other pieces written specially for her) . She recorded a CD with works written for her by Rahbee and works by Michel Lysight and

Jacqueline Fontyn Jacqueline, Baroness Fontyn (born 27 December 1930) is a contemporary Belgian composer, pianist and music educator. She was born in Antwerp, and has received the title of baroness from the King of Belgium in recognition of her many artistic contri ...

in Canada and Argentina. Works have also been written for her by

(France), Béla Tardos (Hungary), René Defossez, Paul Uy,

Berthe di Vito-Delvaux Berthe di Vito-Delvaux (17 May 1915 – 2 April 2005) was a Belgian composer. Biography Berthe di Vito-Delvaux was born in Angleur, Belgium. She studied theory with Désiré Duysens, harmony with Louis Lavoye and piano with Jeanne House at th ...

(Belgium), Denis Levaillant, and

Damien Top Damien Top (born 13 July 1973, in Rouen) is a French tenor, musicologist and conductor, and is artistic director of the International Albert Roussel Festival. Career Damien Top is an exponent of contemporary French music as singer, conducto ...

(France) With the "Ensemble Joseph Jongen", of which she is the founder, she has performed works by Andrzej Kwiecinski,

Alain Weber Alain Weber (8 December 1930 — 14 November 2019) was a French composer and music educator. Training and activities Born in Château-Thierry, Weber began his studies at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1941. First Grand Prix de Rome in 1952, he w ...

, as well as rediscovered pieces by René de Castéra,

Albert Roussel Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel (; 5 April 1869 – 23 August 1937) was a French composer. He spent seven years as a midshipman, turned to music as an adult, and became one of the most prominent French composers of the interwar period. His ...

. Andersen is president of EPTA-Belgium Wallonie-Bruxelles (European Piano Teachers Association) and honorary professor of the

. She has directed master classes in South and North America, Canada, Japan, in China, Korea and Europe. She is also regularly invited as a member of the jury of major international competitions. In particular, the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition 2013) and 2016

Personal life

Andersen and Gertler separated in 1984.

Discography (selection)

, ''Piano works'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; (1979, format vinyl 5 33-1/3 tr/min , EMI group La Voix de Son maître,) *

, ''Works for 2 pianos'' - Diane Andersen & Daniel Blumenthal, piano ; (1997, format CD , Arcobaleno Records - Belgium ) *

, ''Piano Quintet in B minor ; Cello Sonata in F♯ minor'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; Danel quartet ; Mark Drobinsky, cello, (2002, Cypres) *

, ''The complete piano works Vol. 1'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2002, format CD , Pavane records - Brussels) *

, ''The complete piano works Vol. 2'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; André de Groote, interpreter (2005, format CD , Pavane records - Brussels) *

, ''Piano quartet op. 23 Trio for piano, violin and viola, op. 30'' - Ensemble Joseph Jongen : Diane Andersen, piano ; Eliot Lawson, violin ; Jacques Dupriez, viola ; Mark Drobinsky, cello (2003, format CD , Cyprès records - Brussels ) *

, ''JONGEN, J.: Piano Music (Complete), Vol. 1 (Andersen).'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2005, format Emusic , Naxos (label), Hong Kong : Naxos Digital Services US Inc) *

, ''JONGEN, J.: Piano Music (Complete), Vol. 2 (Andersen).'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2005, format Emusic , Naxos (label), Hong Kong : Naxos Digital Services US Inc) *

Vincent d'Indy Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy (; 27 March 18512 December 1931) was a French composer and teacher. His influence as a teacher, in particular, was considerable. He was a co-founder of the Schola Cantorum de Paris and also taught at the Par ...

, ''Poème des montagnes; symphonic poem for piano op. 15 ; Sonata in E major; op. 63'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2008, Talent records) "Diane Andersen - Vincent d'Indy: Sonata in E major; Poème des Montagnes".
''AllMusic review by James Leonard *

, ''Piano Concerto Op. 134; Sonata No. 4 Op. 128'' - Diane Andersen, piano ; David Alexander Rahbee, conductor & le Matav Hungarian Symphony Orchestra ; (2006, Recital Company Productions records) *

, ''The piano work, volume 1 - Croquembouches - Five pieces for piano - Unpublished early works '' - Diane Andersen, piano; ( 2017, Azur Classical records) *

, ''L'œuvre pour violon et piano'' - Diane Andersen, piano; Eliot Lawson, violon.

References

External links

Diane Andersen"
''WordlCat Identities''.
Diane Andersen's biography published at the Royal Academy of Belgium (in French)www.allmusic.com/artist/diane-andersen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andersen, Diane Living people 1934 births Belgian classical pianists Danish classical pianists Danish people of French descent Belgian women pianists Danish women pianists 20th-century Belgian women musicians Danish emigrants to Belgium 21st-century Belgian musicians Musicians from Copenhagen 20th-century Belgian pianists 21st-century Belgian pianists 20th-century Danish pianists 21st-century Danish pianists 20th-century women pianists 21st-century women pianists