The Piano Taking Center Stage at the 2025 Verbier Festival
For piano lovers, the Verbier Festival 2025 again shaped up to be a dream come true. This summer, the festival was rolling out one of its most interesting piano lineups yet, blending household names, rising stars, and even a little jazz for good measure.
From mid-July through early August, nearly every day was offering something exciting for anyone who could not get enough of the piano. This compilation video provides a captivating glimpse into the festival’s diverse performances, featuring 20 minutes of piano excellence at the 2025 Verbier Festival:
Things started off in grand fashion on 17 July, when Jean-Efflam Bavouzet was taking on the ultimate Ravel challenge: performing the composer’s complete solo piano works in a single marathon recital. Every piece was unfolding back-to-back, with no break in between. It was a bold way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Ravel’s birth, and a rare chance to hear iconic works like Gaspard de la Nuit and Le Tombeau de Couperin within the full Ravel canon.
After that, the big names were coming fast and furious. On 20 July, young phenomenon Yunchan Lim, was joining the Verbier Festival Orchestra under Klaus Mäkelä. His program was pairing Rachmaninoff’s lush romanticism of the 4th Concerto with the fire and color of Stravinsky’s Firebird. The next evening, Evgeny Kissin – a festival favorite – was bringing his unmatched authority to a program that was spanning from Bach through Shostakovich, with Chopin serving as the emotional centerpiece.
The momentum was continuing with a string of heavyweight recitals. Lim’s teacher Minsoo Sohn was diving into Beethoven’s last three sonatas on 22 July, music that was feeling almost like a philosophical farewell. The following night, Daniil Trifonov offered a program with Tchaikovsky, Chopin Waltzes, and Samuel Barber, showing off his mix of virtuosity and poetry. And on 24 July, Mao Fujita, celebrated for his clarity and lyricism, was performing the Chopin Preludes alongside works by Scriabin.
But Verbier was not just about the biggest names – it was also shining a light on variety and discovery. World Piano Day, on 19 July, was packed with gems: Ekaterina Bonyushkina was offering a mix of Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, and Kapustin, while Sergei Babayan was bringing his refined touch to Schubert, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff. Later in the festival, Roman Borisov and Behzod Abduraimov were adding their own distinctive profiles, the latter appearing in both solo and chamber settings.
The lineup was also including Mikhaïl Pletnev conducting, Martha Argerich in chamber music, Viktoria Postnikova, and the dazzling Alexander Malofeev, who was giving his own solo recital on 31 July featuring Schubert, Janáček, Liszt, and Scriabin. performed in a symphonic concert. On that same date under the baton of Teodor Currentzis, Alexandre Kantorow played Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini plus Bruce Liu in Chopin’s Piano Concerto. To close the festival, Khatia Buniatishvili was taking the stage on 3 August, bringing her trademark mix of fire and sensitivity. For something a little different, the Brad Mehldau Trio was adding a jazz-infused flavor to the mostly classical mix, proving that Verbier was always stretching beyond tradition.
Alongside the star-studded concerts, the Verbier Academy was playing a vital role in nurturing the next generation of pianists. The Academy’s piano mentors – Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Rena Shereshevskaya, and Minsoo Sohn – were guiding young artists through public masterclasses and intensive coaching. Shereshevskaya, famous for fostering individuality in her students, was encouraging players to find their own artistic voices. Sohn, known for his deep connection with Beethoven, was sharing insights into the philosophical side of music-making. And Bavouzet, with his technical brilliance and experience, was showing how to balance precision with imagination. On 26 July, Bavouzet was leading a public masterclass, while on 2 August, Academy soloists were stepping into the spotlight with chamber works by Mendelssohn, Fauré, and Schumann – a reminder that Verbier was never just about today’s stars, but also tomorrow’s.
With its mix of legends, rising stars, and devoted mentors, the 2025 Verbier Festival was offering something for every piano fan. Whether you were drawn to the intensity of Kissin, the freshness of Lim, or the guidance of Shereshevskaya, you were finding it there. That summer, in the Swiss Alps, the piano truly was taking center stage.
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