Patrick Hemmerlé is a French concert pianist of rare depth and originality, based in Cambridge, UK. Acclaimed for his intellectually rich programming and virtuosic command of the instrument, he has built an international reputation as a performer who brings both passion and insight to the concert platform. His repertoire is as extensive as it is imaginative, and his work is distinguished by a fascination with musical architecture, an unrelenting curiosity for lesser-known composers, and a gift for drawing deep connections between works from different styles and eras.
He has been the recipient of numerous awards and competition prizes, notably at the 2006 Valencia International Piano Competition, where he won Fourth Prize alongside special awards for the best performances of Spanish music, a Beethoven concerto, and a Chopin work. Additional distinctions from competitions in Épinal, Grosseto (Scriabin Competition), CFRPM (Paris), and Toledo testify to the breadth of his interpretive range—ranging from Albéniz and Novak to Tchesnokov and Frank Martin.
Currently Musician-in-Residence at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, Hemmerlé curates and directs the college’s celebrated concert series, Intimate Engagements. His recent concert appearances have taken him across Europe, China, and the United States, with performances in major cultural centres such as Berlin, Paris, Prague, Vienna, and New York, as well as at leading British festivals and music societies.
Hemmerlé is known not only for his technical command, but for his ambitious and thought-provoking concert formats. He has performed monumental works such as the complete 24 Études of Chopin or the entire 48 Preludes and Fugues of Bach in single-evening marathon performances. His double recital formats are particularly distinctive—for example, pairing Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations with Bach’s Goldberg Variations, or juxtaposing Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas with Schubert’s last three. These concert experiences are immersive and conceptually rich, designed to offer audiences more than virtuosity: they are invitations to listen deeply and reflect.
A passionate advocate for underrepresented repertoire, Hemmerlé frequently includes composers such as Vítězslav Novák, Jean Roger-Ducasse, Nikolai Tchesnokov, Emmanuel, and Frank Martin in his programmes, often introducing audiences to major works they might otherwise never hear. This spirit of discovery also informs his discography, which includes recordings of Novak, Tchesnokov, Brahms, Schumann, and Roger-Ducasse.
Alongside his performance career, Patrick Hemmerlé is a dedicated teacher and musical thinker. He gives masterclasses and lecture-recitals in the UK and France, and his academic role at Cambridge allows him to engage students and audiences in discussions about structure, interpretation, and musical context. His concerts often include spoken introductions or in-depth programme notes that reflect his commitment to fostering deeper listening.
His recent performances have drawn consistent critical acclaim. At St Mary’s Perivale, his interpretation of the complete Chopin Études was described as “thrilling… with moments of sheer genius, transcending technique and reaching profound emotional expression.” Reviewers have compared his interpretive approach to that of legendary pianists such as Guiomar Novaes, Nikita Magaloff, and Nelson Freire, all known for balancing technical brilliance with poetic intuition.
Patrick Hemmerlé is a rare blend of pianist, scholar, and curator. His performances are marked by a deep sense of narrative and structure, his programming is daring and thoughtful, and his dedication to uncovering neglected gems of the repertoire makes him a true ambassador for the piano’s vast literature. He is a musician whose artistry invites both head and heart into the concert hall.