SIMON
PIANO
ZAOUI
CNSM of Paris - Vincennes Conservatory
"We admire the refinement and the flexibility of the touch, the solidity and the clarity of the joints, but above all the desperate love for the works that he offers to the public" Le Monde.
A complete pianist, as comfortable as a soloist as in chamber music and as an accompanist, Simon Zaoui has been developing a distinguished and sought-after career as a performer over the past twenty years. His collaborations in the theater with James Thierrée, Graciane Finzi and Christiane Cohendy, his partnership at the Seine Musicale with the journalist Sabine Quindou, his discography largely devoted to the music of Gabriel Fauré, his commitment as artistic director of several festivals, his many collaborations with his musician and singer partners, as well as with the Orchester de Paris and the Paris Chamber Orchestra are the reflection of a versatile and passionate musician.
After his training with Emile Naoumoff, Hortense Cartier-Bresson and Alain Planès at the CNSMDP and then his stay at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Simon Zaoui was invited to perform in soloist and chamber music in Japan, Brazil, the Maghreb and the Machrek, Israel, Europe, as well as in the largest halls and French festivals including: the La Roque d'Anthéron festival, Piano aux Jacobins in Toulouse, the Serres d'Auteuil, the "Folle Journée" in Nantes, the Les Arcs festival, the Châtelet theatre, the Cité de la Musique, Radio France...
Among his latest discographic releases, let's mention the complete chamber music of Gabriel Fauré as well as a recital of melodies based on Fauré's Bonne Chanson, or a disc of Beethoven sonatas on historic piano.
His favorite partners are violinists Pierre Fouchenneret and Sarah Nemtanu, cellist Raphaël Merlin, the Strada Quartet, singers David Lefort and Fiona McGown.
Simon Zaoui is artistic director of the musical fever festival at the Pitié Salpétrière hospital and of the Musical Cycle of the Kersaint-Landunvez Chapel. He regularly collaborates in the pedagogy pages of the Pianiste magazine. He is a professor of piano at the Vincennes Conservatory and accompanist at the CNSMDP.