Diane Andersen

Diane Andersen is a Belgian pianist of Danish origin with a French mother and a Danish father born in 1934 in Brussels.
Married to André Gertler, Belgian Hungarian born violinist in 1954. Separated in 1984.. Detailed biography published at the Royal Academy of Belgium (in French) | https://www.academieroyale.be/Academie/documents/ANDERSEN2015CV21949.pdf 
== Early life and studies ==
Her musical education was influenced by great pianists and musicians issued mainly from Austrian-Hungarian piano school. She graduated from the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with Polish pianist Stefan Askenase , a wonderful Chopin and Mozart player, had master classes with Edith Farnadi and Annie Fischer, the legendary Hungarian pianist. She had close contacts to composers like Zoltan Kodaly|Kodaly, Alexandre Tansman, Darius Milhaud and was during years partner of André Gertler, famous Hungarian violinist, friend and partner of Bela Bartok
== Performer and recording artist ==
During her career Andersen has been playing in famous venues such as Victoria_Hall_(Geneva)|Victoria Hall (Geneva), Centre for Fine Arts, Centre for Fine Arts(Brussels), Franz Liszt Academy of Music|Liszt Ferenc Zeneakademia (Budapest), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Teatro della Fenice (Venice), Carnegie Hall (New York), Rudolfinum (Prague), St Martin-in-the-Fields (London) etc.
She performed under the baton of Bruno Maderna, Pierre Boulez, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Georges Prêtre, Jean Fournet, Okko Kanu, David Alexander Rahbee, a.o. with orchestras like Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, R.A.I. Roma, O.P.L. Liège, Orchestre National Belgium, Halle Symphony Orchestra (Germany), philarmonic orchestras of the Hilversum radios (Holland), Symphonic Orchestra of Erevan (Armenia). 
Diane Andersen was also given the privilege to play the first performance of the Bela Bartok|Bartok "Scherzo for piano and orchestra" in Western Europe under the baton of Berthold Lehman (on request of Prof. Denijs Dille, founder of the Bartok Archivum in Budapest, friend and biographer of Bela Bartok and editor of the Scherzo)
Always in search for new or forgotten music Andersen enriched the repertoire with many interesting CDs (EMI, Pavane,Cypres, Fuga Libera, Talent, EMS, Supraphon, Azur classical ), many in world premiere. A. o. the complete piano work by Gabriel Pierné ,Joseph Jongen , the piano music of Claude Delvincourt 
Andersen is a very active chamber music player as well and her many CDs with works by Czerny, Alexandre Tansman (two pianos four hands), Adolphe Biarent, Joseph Jongen , Ernst Toch piano quintets with the Danel Quartet, also Toch Second Piano concerto with Halle Philharmonic Orchestra and Hans Rotman conducting, were receiving enthusiastic reviews and awards.
Andersen has premiered works by American composers Michael Slayton and Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee (the piano concerto and other pieces written specially for her). She recorded a CD with works specially written for her by Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee and works by Michel Lysight and Jacqueline Fontyn in Canada and Argentina.
Many composers have written specially for her : Alexandre Tansman (France), Béla Tardos (Hungary), Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee (USA), René Defossez, Paul Uy, Berthe di Vito-Delvaux (Belgium), Denis Levaillant, Damien Top (France)
With the "Ensemble Joseph Jongen", of which she is the founder, she has created works by Andrzej Kwiecinski, Alain Weber, as well as rediscovered pieces by René de Castéra, Albert Roussel a.o.
President of EPTA-Belgium Wallonie-Bruxelles (European Piano Teachers Association) and honorary professor of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, she now directs 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 Competition | Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition 2013) and 2016 
== Discography (selection) ==
* Gabriel Pierné, Piano works - Diane Andersen, piano ; (1979, format vinyl 5 33-1/3 tr/min , EMI group HMV | La Voix de Son maître,) 
* Alexandre Tansman, Works for 2 pianos - Diane Andersen & Daniel Blumenthal, piano ; (1997, format CD , Arcobaleno Records - Belgium ) 
* Adolphe Biarent, Piano Quintet in B minor ; Cello Sonata in F♯ minor - Diane Andersen, piano ; Danel quartet ; Mark Drobinsky, cello, (2002, Cypres) 
* Joseph Jongen, The complete piano works Vol. 1 - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2002, format CD , Pavane records - Brussels) 
* Joseph Jongen, The complete piano works Vol. 2 - Diane Andersen, piano ; André de Groote, interpreter (2005, format CD , Pavane records - Brussels) 
* Joseph Jongen, 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 ) 
* Joseph Jongen, JONGEN, J.: Piano Music (Complete), Vol. 1 (Andersen). - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2005, format Emusic , Naxos (label)|Hong Kong : Naxos Digital Services US Inc) 
* Joseph Jongen, 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, Poème des montagnes; symphonic poem for piano op. 15 ; Sonata in E major; op. 63 - Diane Andersen, piano ; (2008, Talent records) 
* Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee, 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)
* Claude Delvincourt, Tthe piano work, volume 1 - Croquembouches - Five pieces for piano - Unpublished early works - Diane Andersen, piano; ( 2017, Azur Classical records) 
== References ==
Category:1934 births
Category:Living people
Category:Belgian pianists