Nikola Meeuwsen to Give Winner’s Recital at Het Concertgebouw Following Queen Elisabeth Competition Victory
"I’ve always felt at home here. I’m really looking forward to making my debut in the Great Pianists series."
In celebration of his triumph at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, pianist Nikola Meeuwsen will give a special winner’s recital on Sunday, October 19, in the Main Hall of Het Concertgebouw. Meeuwsen is the first Dutch pianist ever to win this prestigious competition. At just 23 years old, he is also the youngest Dutch soloist to present a full recital in the Main Hall. Ticket sales begin immediately.
Meeuwsen and Het Concertgebouw
Since his debut, Nikola Meeuwsen has built a special relationship with Het Concertgebouw. In 2014, at the age of twelve, he won the Royal Concertgebouw Competition. Since then, he has performed at Het Concertgebouw more than twenty times—both solo and in chamber music settings with peers such as Alexander Warenberg and Benjamin Kruithof. In 2019, he received the Concertgebouw Young Talent Award, a recognition for young musicians with exceptional potential.
This summer, Meeuwsen already returns to Het Concertgebouw with the Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands for a performance of Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto—his debut in the Concertgebouw’s own programming in the Main Hall and his first performance there as the Queen Elisabeth Competition winner. That concert is now sold out.
Nikola Meeuwsen:
"It’s fantastic to give this winner’s concert at Het Concertgebouw. Since the Concertgebouw Competition in 2014, I’ve always felt at home here. I’m really looking forward to making my debut in the Great Pianists series."
Simon Reinink, General Director of Het Concertgebouw:
"It’s wonderful to see a young Dutch pianist reach the very top by winning this prestigious prize. Nikola will now travel the world for concerts, but he will always have a musical home here at Het Concertgebouw."
Versatile Program Featuring Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Mozart, and Schumann
Nikola Meeuwsen presents a rich and varied recital, opening with Mendelssohn’s Variations sérieuses—also performed during the Queen Elisabeth Competition semifinals. This is followed by the devilishly virtuosic Suggestion diabolique by Prokofiev and Shostakovich’s introspective Second Sonata. After intermission, Mozart’s elegant Sonata in E-flat major, K. 282 will be heard. Meeuwsen closes with Schumann’s Carnaval, a colorful sequence of musical miniatures—both festive and enigmatic.
About the Queen Elisabeth Competition
Founded in 1937 at the initiative of Eugène Ysaÿe and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, the Queen Elisabeth Competition is regarded as one of the world’s leading international music competitions. It serves as a launching pad for exceptional violinists, pianists, singers, and cellists, and is known for its high standards, rigorous selection process, and global media attention.
A unique element of the piano competition is the preparation for the final round, during which finalists stay in complete seclusion at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel. There, without any external help or even access to a phone, they prepare a newly commissioned piano composition. This intense period of preparation highlights the extraordinary caliber of the competition’s finalists.
