Kalle Randalu

Pianist (Estonia)
Represented in various countries.

Kalle Randalu, born and grown up in Estonia, is an internationally very sought-after pianist. His teacher in Tallinn was Prof. Bruno Lukk, he himself a student of Paul Hindemith and Leonid Kreuthzer in Berlin. Lukk is regarded as the leading founder of piano studies in Estonia after the war.

After the Tallinn Conservatory Kalle Randalu continued his studies at Prof. Lev Vlassenko’s masterclass at the famous Moscow conservatory.

Kalle Randalu is prizewinner of renowned International piano competitions. He won the First Prize at the 1971 Competition for young pianists in Czechoslovakia and at the 1976 Tallinn Allunion Competition; he has awarded prizes at the 1981 Robert Schumann competition in Zwickau, Germany, at the 1981 Moscow Tchaikovski Competition and won the First Prize at the 1985 ARD Competition in Munich.

Since 1988 he has been living in Germany. He is a piano professor at the Musikhochschule Karisruhe. Before this he held the same position at the Musikhochschule Frelburg. Kalle Randalu has performed in major music centers all over the world. His repertoire comprises most of the great piano concerts. Kalle Randalu has repeatedly played Beethoven’s five piano concertos and the Choir Fantasia at two evenings.

Among the orchestras with which Randalu has played are the orchestras of the Bayerische Rundfunk, of the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Leningrad Philharmonic, the Hamburger Philharmoniker, the orchestra of the Finnish Radio, the Württembergische, the Bratislava and the Leningrad Chamber Orchestras as well as the Ostrobotnian Chamber Orchestra. The many conductors with whom Kalle Randalu performed include his fellow countrymen as Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Peeter Lilje and Arvo Volmer as well as Wolfgang Sawallisch, Mariss Jansons, Natan Rachlin, Maxim Shostakovich, Jörg Faerber and Jac van Steen. Moreover he played with the Finnish conductors Juha Kangas, Osmo Vänskä and Leif Segerstam.

A long and fruitful cooperation has tied him with the Estonian National symphony Orchestra. They played together classical concerts, but also many Estonian works. Close contacts with contemporary Estonian composers brought about many world premieres and dedications.

Recitals took him to the Munich Herkulessaal, the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Leningrad Philharmonie. Kalle Randalu loves especially chamber music. Particularly with the ensemble “Viva Musica” which brings together renowned soloists in Germany, he gave numerous concerts thus achieving a wide repertoire. His chamber music partners also include well-known ensembles as repertoire. His chamber music partners also include well-known ensembles as the Trio di Clarone with Sabine Meyer, Wolfgang Meyer and Reiner Wehie or the Mandelring Quartet.

Kalle Randalu has so far produced over 30 CDs. A sensational success was the recording of all sonatas by Paul Hindemith on seven CDs, which received several times prizes, among them the much sought-after Classical Award in Cannes and the “Klassik-Echo” Prize.

In 1999 Kalle Randalu was appointed as an honorary doctor of the Estonian Academy of Music.

Highlights of the 2000/2001 season include concerts with the Berliner Simfonieorchester at the Konzerthaus Berlin and at the Festspielhaus Zalzburg as well as the recording at the Piano Concerto No. 3 by M. Mamiya under Kazushi Ono with the BBC Symphony Orchestra London.