Sentiers de traverse - Piano recital by Laurence Mekhitarian

On her new album Sentiers de traverse (Cypres Records), recorded at Arsonic, pianist Laurence Mekhitarian presents an intimate recital dedicated to the Hungarian composer György Kurtág, marking the centenary of his birth.

“These paths are reflections of a journey through life with this composer, who has accompanied me for more than forty years in my work as a pianist and teacher,” says Laurence Mekhitarian.

The recital brings together three distinctive musical worlds — György Kurtág, Robert Schumann and Leoš Janáček — composers whose works are deeply rooted in sensitive and evocative musical imagery. Their musical affinities resonate with and illuminate one another, creating a programme that moves between intimacy, poetry and vivid expression.

The concert also connects to exhibition Lines of Expression presenting works of Judit Kurtág, György Kurtág’s granddaughter.
Registration: https://juditkurtag.eventbrite.com

Laurence Mekhitarian is a Belgian pianist of Swiss and Armenian origin. From an early stage in her career, she became deeply engaged in exploring contemporary music and in developing ways of introducing it to young musicians. She first encountered the music of György Kurtág at the suggestion of composer Gérard Grisey.

She subsequently attended numerous courses and masterclasses in France, Hungary, Switzerland and the Netherlands with György Kurtág, his wife Márta Kurtág, and Valéria Szervánszky, developing a particularly close familiarity with Kurtág’s Játékok.

As part of her teaching in Brussels, Mekhitarian founded a “Kurtág Workshop” initially dedicated to exploring Játékok and later expanded to other areas of contemporary repertoire, including works she specifically commissioned from Belgian composers.

Alongside her performing career, she gives training sessions for piano teachers at music academies, promoting approaches to contemporary music for younger generations, and leads educational activities for diverse audiences. She is also regularly invited to give masterclasses and concerts connected to contemporary repertoire in France, Switzerland and Spain.

Through both her performances and educational work, Laurence Mekhitarian has devoted more than forty years to transmitting Kurtág’s music and to fostering a deeper engagement with contemporary music among performers, teachers and young audiences.