Prof. Hans-Peter Stenzl und Prof. Volker Stenzl

Hans-Peter and Volker Stenzl have long set a benchmark for musical intelligence and piano duo playing at the highest level. Critics marvel at the "freedom of a soloist with four hands" as well as at their nuanced illumination of the complex scores, pushing down to the subtlest ramifications.
Studies in Stuttgart (with Renate Werner) and Frankfurt (with Herbert Seidel) were followed by a two-year postgraduate course with Frank Wibaut, Hamish Milne and Stephen Kovacevich at the Royal Academy of Music London (concert diplomas solo and duo with distinction) and private lessons with Alfred Brendel. Further valuable artistic inspiration came from Bruno Canino and Norbert Brainin.

Winners of 11 international competitions (e.g. ARD/ Munich 1986, Dranoff/ Miami 1989), their extensive career has taken them to almost all European countries, to North and South America, West Africa, Japan, China and Hong Kong. In 1991 they made their debut at the Salzburg Festival. They have appeared in major concert halls throughout the world since:
Royal Festival Hall London,  Wigmore Hall London, Merkin Concert Hall New York, Nichols Concert Hall Chicago, Lincoln Theatre Miami, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Cultural Centre Hong Kong, Philharmonic Hall Guangzhou, Philharmonie Berlin, Konzerthaus Berlin, Frauenkirche Dresden, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Philharmonie Köln, Herkulessaal München, Gasteig München, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Salle Gaveau Paris, Stefaniensaal Graz, Centro culturale San Michele Rom, Philharmonic Hall Bratislava, Ateneul Bucharest, Kolarac Belgrade,  Philharmonic Hall Belgrade, Manoel Theatre Malta, International House of Music Moscow, Philharmonic Hall St. Petersburg, Philharmonic Hall Nishnij Novgorod, Organ Hall Arhangelsk, Philharmonic Hall Ufa, Opera House Kairo, Opera House Alexandria, Teatro Teresa Careno Caracas and many more.
In 2019 the Stenzl Piano Duo made three highly successful debut recitals in China: in June at the 3rd International Piano Festival in Beijing, in September at the Oriental Art Centre in Shanghai, and in December at the Lang Lang Concert Hall in Guangzhou.

Hans-Peter and Volker played as soloists under the batons of Helmuth Rilling, Karl Anton Rickenbacher, Konrad Latte, Gerd Albrecht, Neal Stulberg, Wojciech Rajski, Max Pommer, Yordan Kamdzhalov, Wolf-Dieter Hauschild, Christfried Göckeritz, Werner Stiefel, Wolfgang Schäfer, Hans Michael Beurle, Michael Reif, Hartmut Haenchen, Daniel Raiskin, Wayne Marshall, Martin Fischer-Dieskau, Thomas Hengelbrock, Dirk Joeres, Hans-Christoph Rademann, Michel Tabachnik, Gustavo Dudamel and others.

More than 15 highly coveted CDs as well as radio and television productions testify to the enormous stylistic range of the Stenzls on one and on two pianos.
On the musical-literary scene they have collaborated with Karl Michael Vogler, Hans Clarin, Loriot, Anne Bennent, Nina Petri, Gisela Schneeberger, Bernt Hahn, Roger Willemsen, Ulrich Wildgruber, Stefan Fleming, Hanns Zischler and others.
Hans-Peter and Volker are deeply devoted and highly sought-after pedagogues. Their aim is to guide young solo pianists and piano duos on their way to independent and individual characters. The Stenzls are the holders of the first international chair of piano duo studies at the hmt Rostock/Germany. In addition, they teach solo and duo at the Music Universities of Stuttgart (Hans-Peter) and Trossingen (Volker). A number of international prize-winners have been their students (e.g. ARD competition 2015, 1st prize, audience prize and special prize Shalamov duo, 2nd prize ShinPark duo), some of which have already become dedicated university teachers themselves.
The Stenzls give masterclasses in many countries and serve on the juries of renowned national and international music competitions. In 1996 Hans-Peter and Volker were appointed „Associates of the Royal Academy of Music London“. Besides, since 1992 they have been members of the honorary committee of the International Piano Competition J.S. Bach - Würzburg and, since 1999, honorary members of the "International Piano Duo Association of Japan".

 


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