François Dumont

“Respectful of style, with a fertile imagination, this profound and subtle performer, an architect of sound, offers a vision where intelligence contends with spontaneity.”

– Michel Le Naour, *Cadences*

François Dumont is a laureate of the most prestigious international competitions, including the Chopin Competition, Queen Elisabeth Competition, Clara Haskil Competition, and Piano Masters of Monte-Carlo. He was nominated for the « Victoires de la Musique » in the « Instrumental Soloist » category and received the « Révélation » Prize from the French Music Critics Association.

François Dumont was selected by Leonard Slatkin to perform and record Ravel’s two concertos with the Orchestre National de Lyon as part of their complete Ravel collection. The album, released by Naxos, was warmly received by critics : « a very accurate interpretation of both concertos ; perfect classical clarity in the G major concerto… the left-hand concerto, powerful and even heartbreaking, » wrote Jacques Bonnaure in « Classica ».

He has also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National d’Île-de-France, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lille, Orchestre National de Lorraine, Nice Philharmonic Orchestra, National Orchestra of Colombia, Pasdeloup Orchestra, Orchestre des Pays de Savoie, and Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, collaborating with conductors such as Jesús López-Cobos, Mykola Diadiura, Roberto Fores-Veses, David Reiland, François-Xavier Roth, Aziz Shokhakimov, Alexander Sladkovsky, and Antoni Wit.

Born in Lyon, Dumont studied with Pascale Imbert, Chrystel Saussac, and Hervé Billaut. At 14, he entered the CNSMD in Paris under Bruno Rigutto. He further refined his skills at the International Academy of Lake Como and the Lieven Piano Foundation, studying with Dmitri Bashkirov, Leon Fleisher, William Grant Naboré, Murray Perahia, Menahem Pressler, Andreas Staier, and Fou Ts’ong.

Dumont performs in recital at major festivals such as Piano aux Jacobins in Toulouse, La Roque d’Anthéron Festival, Chopin Festival in Nohant, La Chaise-Dieu Festival, Lisztomanias in Châteauroux, Chopin Festival in Paris, Radio-France Festival in Montpellier, Besançon Festival, Epau Festival, Nuits Musicales d’Uzès, Nuits du Suquet in Cannes, Grands Concerts in Lyon, Chopin Festival in Geneva, Vézère Festival, and Folles Journées in Nantes. He is also a regular performer in China, Japan, and South Korea. His solo discography includes the complete Mozart Sonatas on Anima Records, a Chopin album, two Bach albums on Artalinna, a Wagner/Liszt album on Piano Classics, a live double album from the Chopin Competition published by the Chopin National Institute in Warsaw, and the complete piano works of Maurice Ravel on Piano Classics. His Mozart concertos recordings have been praised for “a cantabile and inspired playing, serving a deep understanding of detail” and “total osmosis with the musicians.”

His recording of Chopin’s « Nocturnes » has been equally well received by critics: « In the much-played repertoire of Chopin’s  ‘Nocturnes’ , pianist François Dumont joins the ranks of the greats. He offers a vision of rare coherence in this essential body of work. »

His album of Fauré’s « Nocturnes », recorded on a 1922 Gaveau piano, was awarded the maximum rating, « Supersonic, » by Luxembourg’s « Pizzicato » magazine.

Dumont also enjoys performing chamber music with artists such as Sayaka Shoji, Marc Coppey, Laurent Korcia, Augustin Dumay, and the Prazak Quartet. Since 2003, he has formed a duo with soprano Helen Kearns.

During the 2021-2022 season, he performed with orchestras at the Philharmonie de Paris, in Poland, and Germany, and gave recitals in Germany, Switzerland, Romania, Kosovo, London, and Paris (Salle Gaveau). His latest album, dedicated to Chopin’s « Ballades » and « Impromptus », was released in April 2022.

His upcoming season includes performances at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, Cité de la Musique, and Musée d’Orsay, as well as a tour in Japan and at the Musikverein in Vienna.