Jean Rondeau (© Clement Vayssieres)
He discovered the sound of the harpsichord on the radio at the age of six. He studied harpsichord with Blandine Verlet for ten years, followed by lessons in basso continuo, organ, piano, composition, jazz and improvisation, before finishing his studies at the Paris Conservatoire and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with distinction. It is no coincidence then that Jean Rondeau, born in 1991, is the youngest winner of the harpsichord competition at the Musica Antiqua Festival in Bruges (2012) and recipient of the European Union Baroque Orchestra Development Trust Award. Further prizes and honours followed, including the title »Offenbarung des Jahres«, which the Victoires de la musique classique awarded him in 2015 in the instrumental soloist category. In 2016, he won the »Förderpreis Deutschlandfunk«, the yearly award for highly talented young artists given by the broadcaster and the Musikfest Bremen since 1998. Now in his early 30s, Jean Rondeau has already performed Bach's »Goldberg Variations« at leading concert halls around the world. He recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of his quartet Nevermind at the Paris Philharmonie, followed by performances at the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels, the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and the Muziekcentrum De Bijloke in Ghent.
Many award-winning recordings followed his debut album »Imagine, which won a Choc de Classica in 2015, including »Verdigo« and »Dynastie«, both of which won a Diaposon d’or. His most recent CDs are a recording of the »Goldberg Variations« and the album »Gradus ad Parnassum« (released spring 2023).
In addition to his performances as a soloist, recitalist and conductor, Jean Rondeau is also a much sought-after teacher. He has given masterclasses around the world, from the Academy in Gstaad to the University of Hong Kong, and is a regular guest at the Juilliard School in New York.