Paul Komen

Paul Komen made his debut aged 13 with a radio broadcast of works by Bach and Scriabin. He studied piano with Jan Wijn at the Sweelinck Conservatorium, Amsterdam, where he graduated cum laude. He continued his study with Hans Leygraf in Hannover, Gyorgy Sandor in New York and Gyorgy Sebok in Bloomington. In 1989 he made his debut in America with recitals in Carnegie Hall in New York and the National Gallery in Washington. Paul Komen has released several CD's with works by composers including Mompou, Scriabin, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Chopin. In 1994 he recieved an Edison award for one of these CD's. In addition to performing on the modern piano, Paul Komen has also become renown for his performance on historical instruments which has led to countless concerts in festivals including the Festival voor Oude Muziek in Utrecht, de Dresdner Musikfestpiele, Festspiele Sans Soucis in Potsdam, Het Festival van Vlaanderen, Le Festival de Piano de La Roque d’Anthéron, Les Académies Musicales in Saintes and Musica Antigua in Barcelona.
In the 2000-2001 concert season, Komen performed the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas in a series of 6 concerts in venues including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and the Beethovenhaus in Bonn. He also made two European tours as soloist in Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto with the Orchestra of the 18th Century under the direction of Frans Brüggen, as well as playing with the Orchestre des Champs Elysées under the direction of Philippe Herreweghe. In the season of 2005-2006 he performed again as soloist with the Orchestra of the 18th Century, this time with Mozart piano concertos. He is currently in the final stages of recording the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven. Alongside his solo performances, Paul Komen gives many chamber music concerts and is part of a piano duo with Georgian pianist Nata Tsvereli.
Paul is piano and chamber music teacher at the Prince Claus Conservatoire and artistic leader of the Peter the Great Festival.