Michael Thalmann is a pianist whose life and career have been defined by his passion for music. Born in Switzerland, he is married and lives with his wife in Cavaione, a picturesque village in Valposchiavo (Canton of Graubünden). His musical journey has taken him from his first notes at the piano to international stages, where he has earned acclaim as both a soloist and a chamber musician.
He began his concert career in the 1990s and quickly established himself as a sought-after pianist with a versatile repertoire. In 1997, he made his debut at the prestigious Wigmore Hall in London, cementing his reputation as both a soloist and chamber musician. In the following years, he performed with various orchestras, including the Orchestra of the Lithuanian National Opera and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, captivating audiences in concert halls from Europe to South America.
From 2007 onwards, his path took him to Asia, where he worked as both a soloist and a teacher. Tours in China, Thailand and Laos opened up new cultural horizons and brought him into contact with enthusiastic — and, above all, young — audiences.
From Central America to the Far East, Michael Thalmann travelled to countries such as Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Cuba, leaving his musical mark wherever he went. A concert in Havana in 2009 was broadcast live on Cuban national radio.
Between 2014 and 2019, he focused mainly on the works of Franz Liszt and Franz Schubert, performing them primarily in Switzerland. In 2019, his concert activities once again took him to China, bringing his earlier Asian tours full circle.
Michael Thalmann’s musical education is marked by diversity and collaboration with distinguished international teachers. After completing his Matura (Swiss university entrance qualification) in 1984, he began his studies at the Bern Conservatory (now the Bern University of the Arts), graduating with a Master’s in Specialised Music Performance.
From 1993 to 1995, he experienced his most formative period as a student at the Fondazione Internazionale per il Pianoforte Theo Lieven on Lake Como in Italy. There, he studied with great pianists such as Leon Fleisher, Dimitri Bashkirov, Fou Ts’ong and Karl-Ulrich Schnabel. His studies were further enriched through close collaboration with Leslie Howard in London.
Alongside his work as a pianist, Michael Thalmann is also active as a teacher. From 2019 to 2021, he was Professor of Piano at the Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, China, where he passed on his knowledge to the next generation. Masterclasses in Panama, Nicaragua, China and other countries underline his commitment to sharing music as a universal language.
Michael Thalmann is not only a virtuoso at the piano but also an artist in a broader sense. Some time ago, he began writing prose. His texts treat language like music, using its unique ability to navigate the subtle contours of the human soul. In doing so, they open up an expanded dimension of being and hint at deeper insights into the human condition.
In recent years, he has also expanded his artistic practice to include visual and digital art, creating intuitive, nature-inspired digital paintings and a series of original NFT video artworks. Many of these pieces integrate his own music and are available via Saatchi Art and on the Tezos blockchain (Objkt).
Michael Thalmann’s interdisciplinary practice is characterised by improvisation, spirituality, reflection and a constant search for the poetic — whether in sound, image or silence.
