Matthieu
Idmtal

As a prize winner at more than 15 international competitions, Matthieu Idmtal has performed on Belgium’s most prestigious stages, including Bozar, Flagey, De Bijloke, De Singel, Concertgebouw Brugge, Philharmonie de Liège, and the Handelsbeurs. He has also appeared at international festivals such as the Klara Festival, Festival Musiq’3, Les Sommets du Classique (Switzerland), Palermo Classica (Italy), Musicales and Côte Chalonnaise (France), Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad (Switzerland), Festival Musical d’Arcangues (France), Festival Zeeuwsch-Vlaanderen (Netherlands), Festival en Poitou (France), and the Festivals de Wallonie.

The young pianist now has four CD recordings to his credit: the complete sonatas for violin and piano by Edvard Grieg, performed together with violinist Maya Levy (2017), Alexander Scriabin’s 12 Études, Op. 8, and 24 Préludes, Op. 11 (2018), as well as Edvard Grieg’s Piano Sonata, Op. 7, and 14 Lyric Pieces (2021), released on the Piano Classics label. In addition, there are original works for piano four hands by Johann Strauss, recorded together with pianist Alessandro Deljavan.

These recordings quickly garnered widespread critical acclaim, with reviews such as: “This is undoubtedly one of the best Scriabin CDs of the past decade” (De Muze) or: “He combines tonal beauty with expression in a sublime manner. His playing captivates with a varied and colorful touch, supple phrasing, a natural rubato, precisely crafted dynamics, and an infectious imagination. Idmtal is a poet at the piano.” (Stretto magazine). All of his CDs have been honored as “Choice of Klara” by the national radio station Radio Klara and awarded five stars by the renowned music magazine Classica. A new recording of piano sonatas by Joseph Haydn is scheduled for release in 2026.

His recording, dedicated exclusively to Alexander Scriabin, has been highly praised, and in recent years Matthieu Idmtal has established himself as one of the leading interpreters and advocates of Scriabin’s music. He has repeatedly given recitals devoted entirely to the Russian composer and has performed on numerous occasions for the European Scriabin Society.

In recent seasons, Matthieu Idmtal has given solo recitals and performed with orchestras in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Lithuania, Morocco, and Spain. In addition to his work as a soloist, he is deeply passionate about chamber music and has received numerous awards—both as part of a piano duo with Anastasia Kozhushko and as part of a duo with violinist Maya Levy. These awards include top prizes at competitions such as “Youth ’n Classic” (Belgium) and the “Concorso Internazionale San Cristoforo” (Italy), as well as the Press and Audience Awards at the “International Chamber Music Competition Almere” (Netherlands).

In 2017, Matthieu Idmtal was awarded the “Supernova” Prize, which is presented by Belgian music critics and programmers in collaboration with the leading national classical radio stations Radio Klara and Musiq’3 and includes a concert tour throughout Belgium. He has already shared the stage with artists such as Bomsori Kim, Pierre-Alain Volondat, Eva Zavaro, Jef Neve, Elsa de Lacerda, Alessandro Deljavan, Marley Erickson, and Dirk Brossé.

Matthieu Idmtal’s repertoire ranges from Baroque to contemporary music, though his particular interest has always been in the (post-)Romantic era—he feels a special affinity for composers such as Robert Schumann, Edvard Grieg, Alexander Scriabin, and Frédéric Chopin. His close connection to Chopin led to the founding of the “Brussels Chopin Days,” an international concert series of which he has been the artistic director since 2013. In addition, he is committed to performing lesser-known works and has an interest in jazz music. Over the years, he has developed an increasingly strong interest in composition and has already created several works of his own, in which his artistic personality is also creatively reflected.

Thanks to his extensive experience, Matthieu Idmtal is regularly invited to give master classes and serves as a jury member at national and international music competitions.
Matthieu Idmtal feels deep gratitude toward his teachers Frima Nakhimovitch, Maria Andreeva, and Vitaly Samoshko, and is grateful for every inspiring and formative musical encounter that has shaped him into the musician he is today.