Kalle Randalu is an Estonian pianist of international acclaim who settled in Germany in 1988. From 1994 to 1997 he was a professor at the Freiburg University of Music but since 1997 he has held a professorship at the Karlsruhe University of Music.
Randalu has given concerts in most European countries, the United States, Australia, Russia and Japan. The Tallinn-born Randalu has over 50 piano concertos in his repertoire and a large number of solo and chamber works. For over 20 years he has been connected with Villa Musica, one of Germany’s biggest concert institutions, which brings together leading German musicians and organises about 150 chamber music concerts a year.
In 1987 Randalu was named National Artist of Estonia, and since 1999, he has held an Honorary Doctorate from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. He is a laureate of several international piano contests: First Prize from the Ústí nad Labem International Piano Competition in Czech Republic (1971), First Prize from the Soviet Union Piano Competition in Tallinn (1976), prizes from the International Robert Schumann Contest in Zwickau (1981), and the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1982) and First Prize from the ARD International Music Competition in Munich (1985).
He has recorded over 40 CDs and 16 LPs. His cycle of Paul Hindemith’s Complete Sonatas has been exceptionally successful: it has been awarded prizes such as as ECHO Klassik (German Phono Academie) and the Classical Award in Cannes. Notable among his latest recordings are a double CD containing Brahms Piano Trios and a cycle of three CDs with Schumann’s chamber music. Together with conductor Juha Kangas and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Kalle Randalu has recorded Mozart’s Piano Concertos KV. 413, 414 and 415, as well as Beethoven’s five concertos with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Neeme Järvi.
Randalu studied at the Tallinn Music High School with Tiina Kurik, at the Tallinn Conservatoire with Professor Bruno Lukk and the Moscow Conservatory with Professor Lev Vlassenko.
