Biography - Nicolas Absalom

Described by the Rheinische Post as “spirited and musically uncompromising,” Belgo-British pianist Nicolas Absalom is a prizewinner of international competitions who combines a refined soundworld with a strong interest in historically informed performance and thoughtful, narrative-driven programmes.

Performances have led him to appear in venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, the Museu Pau Casals in El Vendrell and the Palau de la Música Catalana, St James' Church Piccadilly and Steinway Hall London, as well as the Blauwe Zaal of DeSingel, Antwerp and Studio 4 at Flagey in Brussels.

He has collaborated with orchestras including the Sinfonieorchester der Hochschule für Musik Dresden, the Siegfried Camerata, Music of the Spheres Ensemble and the Jenaer Philharmonie.

Nicolas has also been invited to festivals such as the Berliner Festspiele, the Klevischer Klaviersommer, the Euregio Rhein-Waal Music Festival, the International Young Talents Festival in Cannes, the “Fremtidens Lyd” Stevns in Denmark and the Passion:SPIEL Festival for contemporary music organised by the German National Theatre Weimar.

His distinctions include a third prize at the “International Carl Maria von Weber Competition” in Dresden, a fifth prize at the “MIMAs International Piano Competition” in Italy, as well as multiple prizes at national competitions. He is also a laureate of the “International Competition for Ostracised Music” in Schwerin and of the “International Music Festival" in Paris.

Born and raised in Brussels, he began his studies at the Académie d’Ixelles before joining the class of Prof. Johan Schmidt at the age of 13 as a Young Talent at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He then started his studies at the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar with Prof. Christian Wilm Müller, where he also developed a strong interest for historically informed performance and chamber music. As a chamber musician, Nicolas has gained valuable insight working with musicians such as members of the Jerusalem Quartet, the Artemis Quartet and the Fauré Quartet, among others.

Currently he is pursuing his Master’s degree in piano solo performance at the University of the Arts Berlin in the class of Prof. Björn Lehmann. In September 2026, he will start his Artist Diploma at the Royal College of Music in London.

Nicolas has also had the privilege of working with pianists such as Janina Fialkowska, Kevin Kenner, Klaus Hellwig, Alberto Portugheis and Hortense Cartier-Bresson, among others.

He has been generously supported as a recipient of grants and scholarships such as from The Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation, the Deutschlandstipendium, The Thomas Harris International Piano Foundation, the Feuerwerk Akademie Einbeck, the Internationale Musikakademie Liechtenstein, the Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation Weimar and the Paul-Hindemith-Gesellschaft Berlin.