RECITALS – Jazz & Classic piano solos – GUILLAUME MARCENAC & STEFAN PETROVIĆ

Recitals

Stories, Discoveries and Music

In this unique recital, two virtuoso musicians share the stage to create an evening where music, storytelling and discovery come together. Moving effortlessly between classical repertoire and spontaneous improvisation, they invite the audience on a musical journey filled with contrasts, surprises and emotion.

The program ranges from the poetic world of Chopin to moments of free improvisation, offering fresh perspectives on the piano repertoire. Along the way, the performers share stories and reflections about the music, revealing unexpected connections between composers, styles and personal experiences.

Combining virtuosity with spontaneity, the recital balances elegance, humor and musical depth. Each performance becomes a living conversation between the artists, the music and the audience.

An evening of refined piano playing, imagination and shared pleasure — where great music meets curiosity and joy.

STEFAN PETROVIC

Stefan Petrović grew up in Belgrade, Serbia, where he started playing piano at six. By his early teens he began encountering successes at competitions across the region — including first prizes at the Young Pianist competition in Niš, international competition Città di Stresa in Italy, and the Petar Konjović competition in Belgrade — and in 1995 was named Young Musician of the Year and received the October Prize of the city of Belgrade. Those early years also took him to stages across Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, as both soloist and chamber musician.

In 2002, Stefan moved to the Netherlands to study at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, completing his bachelor's and master's degrees under Naum Grubert. He took masterclasses with Dmitri Bashkirov, Anton Kuerti and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and performed regularly as a soloist and in chamber music settings, most extensively with members of the Ysaÿe String Trio.

After his studies Stefan began doctoral research at Leiden University with a research project exploring nineteenth-century performance practices and continued to perform in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Some of Stefan’s notable public appearances include performances of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto op.56, with Gordan Nikolić, Celine Flamen and Orquestra de Cambra Illa de Menorca, and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No.1 with Kenneth Montgomery and orchestra of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. His research is about expression in music performance and focuses on the use of flexibility of rhythm and tempo in performance of the nineteenth-century repertoire. This work has in many ways influenced his playing and teaching.

GUILLAUME MARCENAC

Guillaume Marcenac is a French pianist, composer and arranger whose work spans classical music, jazz and Latin traditions. He began playing the piano at a young age and developed a strong interest in both classical repertoire and improvisation, which would later shape his versatile musical career.

After his early musical training in France, Marcenac pursued advanced studies in piano and composition, developing a wide-ranging repertoire that combines classical influences with jazz harmony and rhythmic traditions from Latin America. Alongside his classical training, he cultivated a strong interest in collaborative music-making, performing regularly with singers and instrumental ensembles.

Over the years he has appeared in numerous concerts in Europe as a solo pianist and chamber musician. His activities range from solo piano recitals to collaborations with vocalists in the tradition of French chanson, as well as performances with jazz and Latin ensembles. His playing is noted for its expressive sensitivity, stylistic versatility and refined musical language.

Marcenac is also active as a composer and arranger. His work includes projects that revisit the repertoire of French chanson and original compositions written for voice and piano. He has collaborated with various singers, including Dutch-French chanson performer Nadja Filtzer, with whom he developed programs combining piano, cabaret and French song.

In addition to his work in chanson and classical repertoire, Marcenac is involved in Latin-jazz projects. In the ensemble Charanjazz, created together with Venezuelan percussionist Gerardo Rosales, he explores Afro-Caribbean musical traditions such as mambo, cha-cha-cha and Venezuelan joropo, blending them with jazz improvisation.

Based in the Netherlands, Guillaume Marcenac continues to perform as a pianist, composer and musical director in projects that bring together different musical cultures and traditions.