Abdel Rahman el Bacha

Born in Beirut into a family of musicians, Abdel Rahman El Bacha began playing the piano in 1967 under the guidance of Zvart Sarkissian, a student of Marguerite Long and Jacques Février. At the age of 10, he performed his first concert with an orchestra. In 1973, the legendary pianist Claudio Arrau predicted a brilliant career for him. A year later, El Bacha was offered scholarships from France, the Soviet Union, and England, ultimately choosing France for its cultural affinities. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Pierre Sancan, winning four First Prizes.

At 19, he gained international recognition by winning the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium. This launched an illustrious career, performing in the world’s most renowned concert halls, from the Mozarteum in Salzburg to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. He has collaborated with leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

El Bacha’s discography is extensive. In 1983, he received the Grand Prix of the Académie Charles Cros for his recordings of Prokofiev’s early works. He has also recorded works by Bach, Ravel, Schumann, Schubert, and Rachmaninoff. His repertoire includes the complete solo piano works of Chopin and Ravel, Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, and Goyescas by Granados. Since 2011, he has collaborated with the Mirare label, recording Beethoven’s 32 Piano Sonatas and Prokofiev’s piano works. His latest recordings for MClassics (Japan) feature Prokofiev’s Sonatas Nos. 6, 7, and 8 and Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Italian Concerto.

A dual French-Lebanese citizen since 1981, El Bacha was named Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 1998 and awarded Lebanon’s Order of Merit in 2002. He received honorary doctorates from the Université catholique de Louvain (2019) and the Lebanese American University (2022).

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