Kristian Bezuidenhout

Kristian Bezuidenhout has established himself as one of the most versatile and exciting musicians of our time, both as a keyboard player and conductor. Born in South Africa, he began his studies in Australia, completed them at the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY), and now lives in London. After initial training as a modern pianist with Rebecca Penneys, he explored early keyboards, studying harpsichord with Arthur Haas, fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson, and continuo playing and performance practice with Paul O’Dette. Kristian first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning the prestigious first prize and audience prize in the Bruges Fortepiano Competition.

Kristian is a regular guest soloist on fortepiano, harpsichord, modern piano with the world’s leading ensembles including Freiburger Barockorchester, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Mozarteum Orchester, Camerata Salzburg, Orchestre des Champs Elysées, Les Arts Florissants, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He has performed with celebrated artists including John Eliot Gardiner, Philippe Herreweghe, Bernhard Haitink, Daniel Harding, Frans Brüggen, Trevor Pinnock, Giovanni Antonini, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Isabelle Faust, Alina Ibragimova, Rachel Podger, Carolyn Sampson, Anne Sofie von Otter, Mark Padmore & Matthias Goerne.

In addition to his work as a soloist, he is increasingly in demand as a conductor, and continues to explore the music of the late 17th and early 18th Centuries with groups including the English Concert (Handel Chandos Anthems, Purcell Odes, Bach St. John Passion), Tafelmusik, Collegium Vocale, Juilliard 415, Kammerakademie Potsdam & Dunedin Consort (Bach St Matthew Passion). Kristian is Principal Guest Director of both Freiburger Barockorchester and English Concert. In 2025 he was made Associate Artist of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

Kristian’s rich and award-winning discography of over 30 albums – mostly for Harmonia Mundi – includes the complete keyboard music of Mozart (Diapason d’Or de l’Année, Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, & Caecilia Prize); Schubert Die schöne Müllerin with Julian Prégardien; the complete Piano Concertos of Beethoven with the Freiburger Barockorchester; an ongoing cycle of the complete Mozart Piano Concertos with the Freiburger Barockorchester (ECHO Klassik); Bach Violin Sonatas with Isabelle Faust; Mozart Violin Sonatas with Petra Müllejans and Beethoven & Mozart Lieder and Schumann Dichterliebe with Mark Padmore (Edison Award). In 2013 he was nominated as Gramophone Magazine’s Artist of the Year. Upcoming releases include two discs of Mozart Piano Concertos with Freiburger Barockorchester, recorded in 2024.

The 2025/2026 season sees Kristian perform as a soloist and direct a number of orchestras including Royal Northern Sinfonia, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Dunedin Consort, Kammerakademie Potsdam and Bochumer Symphoniker. Debuts include Norwegian Radio Orchestra, which he play-directs, as well as the Tampere Philharmonic and SWR Symphonieorchester, as soloist. He gives recitals across Europe with Isabelle Faust and Julian Pregardien and performances in North America /Canada, with regular partners Anne Sofie von Otter and Consone Quartet, as part of a residency at Bourgie Hall, Montreal.