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Ms Andersen's musical education was influenced by great pianists and musicians issued mainly from Austrian-Hungarian piano school. She graduated from the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with Polish pianist Stefan Askenase, a wonderful Chopin and Mozart player, had master classes with Edith Farnadi and Annie Fischer, the legendary Hungarian pianist. She had close contacts to composers like Kodaly, Tansman, Milhaud and was during years the duo partner of André Gertler, famous Hungarian violinist, friend and partner of Béla Bartok.
Concerts
During her career Andersen has been playing in famous venues such as Victoria Hall (Geneva), Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels), Liszt Ferenc Zeneakademia (Budapest), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Teatro della Fenice (Venice), Carnegie Hall (New York), Rudolfinum (Prague), St.-Martin in the Fields (London) etc.
She performed under the baton of Bruno Maderna, Pierre Boulez, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Geogres Prêtre, Jean Fournet, Okko Kamu, a.o. with orchestras like Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, R.A.I. Roma, O.P.L. Liège, Orchestre National Belgium, Halle Symphony Orchestra (Germany), philharmonic orchestras of the Hilversum radios (Holland).
Recordings
Always in search for new or forgotten music Andersen enriched the repertoire with many interesting CD's (EMI, Pavane,Cypres, Fuga Libera, Talent, EMS, Supraphon, Azur classical ), many in world premiere. A. o. the complete piano work by Gabriel Pierné and Joseph Jongen. Andersen is a very active chamber music player as well and her many CD's with works by Czerny, Alexandre Tansman (two pianos four hands), Adolphe Biarent, Joseph Jongen, Ernst Toch piano quintets with the Quatuor Danel, also Toch Second Piano concerto with Halle Philharmonic Orchestra and Hans Rotman conducting, were receiving enthusiastic reviews and awards. Recently Andersen has premiered works by American composers Michael Slayton and Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee (the piano concerto and other pieces written specially for her). With the "Ensemble Joseph Jongen", of which she is the founder, she has created works by Andrzej Kwiecinski, Alain Weber, as well as rediscovered pieces by René de Castéra, Emile Goué, Claude Delvincourt, Albert Roussel a.o.
A newly released CD (Cypres) brings the two violin and piano sonatas by Victor Vreuls (Belgian composer 1876-1944). Next CD in Autumn 2011 will be with piano music by Emile Goué (1904-1946), a remarkable French composer.
Pedagogy
Hononary Professor of the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels, Andersen pursues a very intensive pedagogical activity and is currently invited to give master classes all over Europe, Argentina, Moscow (Gnessine Institut), Japan, China (Shenzen, Chengdu (Sichuan), Shanghai Conservatoire, Seoul (Korea), the US (Boston, Lipscomb and Cincinnatti Universities, Smith's College, NEC Boston, etc.). In March 2010 she was 'Artist in residence' at Queens University, Kingston, Canada. Two pedagogical DVD's recorded for EMC Japan with works by Ravel and Milhaud.
Competitions
Andersen serves currently on the Jury of important international competitions such as OCI (Orléans Competition International), C.I.P.C.E. Madrid, Alexander Tansman International Competition Lodz Poland, Isidor Bajic (Serbia), International Piano Competition Enschede, "Roma" International Piano competition, International Piano competition Zagreb and Osijek Croatia. Member of the Artistic Committee of the Queen Elisabeth International Piano competition Belgium
She has been nominated "Steinway Artist".
- "FUGA" Trophy (Belgian Composers Union)
- Harriet Cohen International Bach-Medal (London)
- Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros (Paris)
- Cannes International Classical Music Award, in 2003
Publications
- "Alexandre Tansman : Les relations avec la Belgique"" in "Alexandre Tansman", Presses de l'Université de Paris-Sorbonne, Musiques/Ecritures Série Études
- "Les notions de rythme, silence et intelligence chez Blanche Selva" in "Blanche Selva, naissance d'un piano moderne". Editions Symétrie 2010
- Bilten: Joseph Jongen, a great Belgian composer (2003) Interview in Great Pianists and Pedagogues by Carola Grindea (London: Kahn & Averill, 2007)
- Interview and cover of the "Piano Journal" London, issue 77
- President of "Epta-Belgium Wallonie-Bruxelles" (European Piano Teacher's Association)
- EPTA International Vice President
- European EPTA President 2002
- Honorary member of Beethoven Society Europe
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