Nicolas Salloum
Swiss pianist Nicolas Salloum recently came to attention at the 33rd Alessandro Casagrande International Piano Competition in Terni, Italy, where he was awarded First Prize as the youngest contestant, as well as Audience Prize, Prize for the Youngest Finalist, and Prize for the Best Interpretation of a Beethoven Sonata – the first time all prizes were awarded to a single contestant.
Salloum gave his debut recital at Steinway Hall Lausanne, followed by engagements at the Lavaux Classic, Gstaad Menuhin, Piano à St. Ursanne, Suoni dal Golfo, and Rencontres Culturelles de la Vallée de Joux festivals, in addition to appearances at the Gijón International Piano Festival, International Menuhin Music Academy, Puerto Rico International Music Festival, Tbilisi State Conservatoire Small Hall, and Mannes Sounds Festival, where he gave the world premiere of composer George Oakley’s piece “Chomolungma” at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
As a soloist, Salloum performed with the Orchestra dell’Istituzione Sinfonica Abbruzzese, Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, and Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra. He has been featured on France Musique, Arte, Swiss National Radio and Television (RTS), and WQXR’s Young Artists Showcase.
Salloum studied with Akiko Shirogane-Weber at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, winning First Prize at the Conservatoire’s competition for three consecutive years, as well as First Prizes at the Russian Conservatory Alexander Scriabin International Piano Competition, Concours Suisse de Musique de la Jeunesse, and Concours de Piano Claude Kahn.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the Haute Ecole de Musique (Geneva) at the age of 17, where he was a student of Dominique Weber and then Ricardo Castro, graduating with the Maurice d’Espine and François Dumont Special Prizes for highest score and best interpretation of a Beethoven sonata among his Class.
Salloum completed his Master of Music at the Mannes School of Music on a full scholarship, and is currently a doctoral candidate at NYU Steinhardt, where he studies with Eteri Andjaparidze.