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| Katia and Marielle Labèque | |
|---|---|
| Name | Katia and Marielle Labèque |
| Background | classical_duo |
| Origin | Bayonne, France |
| Years active | 1978–present |
Katia and Marielle Labèque are a French piano duo of sisters known for their duo-pianist performances across classical music stages, contemporary festivals and multimedia projects. They have built a repertoire spanning Mozart, Schubert, Ravel, Satie and Stravinsky while commissioning works from Philip Glass, John Adams, Michael Nyman and Steve Reich. Their career encompasses concert tours with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic and collaborations with soloists including Yo-Yo Ma, Mitsuko Uchida and Seiji Ozawa.
Born in Bayonne, the sisters began piano studies in childhood, receiving early instruction influenced by the French pianistic tradition associated with Marguerite Long and Alfred Cortot. Their formal education included studies at institutions linked to the Conservatoire de Paris and masterclasses with pedagogues whose lineages trace to Franz Liszt and Igor Stravinsky interpreters. Early public appearances placed them in venues tied to the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and international competitions such as the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition and the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition.
Their repertoire combines canonical works—two-piano transcriptions of Igor Stravinsky ballets, Maurice Ravel's orchestral reductions and arrangements of Claude Debussy—with contemporary compositions by Philip Glass, John Adams and Caroline Shaw. They have premiered pieces at institutions including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, La Scala, Walt Disney Concert Hall and festivals such as the Aix-en-Provence Festival, the Lucerne Festival and the Salzburg Festival. Collaborative appearances with conductors like Bernard Haitink, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim and Gustavo Dudamel expanded their orchestral duo repertoire with concertos and symphonic reductions.
Their discography spans major labels and independent releases, featuring recordings of Mozart piano duet works, Franz Schubert four-hand pieces, Satie and contemporary commissions by Philip Glass and John Adams. Labels associated with their releases include Deutsche Grammophon, Sony Classical, EMI Classics and Naïve Records. Notable albums have been recognized by institutions such as the Gramophone Awards, the Victoire de la Musique Classique and Grammy Awards nominations; media coverage appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde and The Washington Post.
The sisters have a history of commissioning works from leading composers—Philip Glass wrote pieces for their ensemble, John Adams created new material, Steve Reich contributed arrangements and Michael Nyman collaborated on film-related projects. They have partnered with soloists and ensembles including Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, Kronos Quartet, Emmanuel Pahud and directors from the Comédie-Française and film composers who work in Hollywood and European cinema. Cross-genre projects have brought them into exchanges with Tango musicians from Astor Piazzolla's circles and electronic producers tied to the Berlin techno scene.
Beyond performances, they founded and directed initiatives such as their own festival projects and residency programs that engaged institutions including the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, the Lucerne Festival and municipal cultural services in Paris and San Sebastián. They have appeared with chamber groups like the Orchestre de Paris, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and developed educational masterclasses at conservatoires including the Conservatoire de Paris and workshops for youth orchestras associated with Jeunesses Musicales International. Their outreach included collaborative interdisciplinary projects with dance companies from the Opéra National de Paris and multimedia teams from arts centers such as the Centre Pompidou.
Their honours include national recognitions such as appointments linked to the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, awards from music media like the Gramophone Awards and festival distinctions from the Aix-en-Provence Festival and Salzburg Festival. They have been recipients of prizes from cultural institutions in France, Spain and the United States, and received lifetime achievement acknowledgments from organizations like the International Classical Music Awards and conservatoire alumni associations. Media outlets including BBC Music Magazine, Diapason and The New Yorker have chronicled their contributions to the piano duo repertoire.
Category:French classical pianists Category:Sibling musical duos