Noches poéticas: Mathis Cathignol-Dénia International Piano Festival

Program:

Granados – Coloquio en la reja, Quejas o La maja y el ruiseñor, Serenata del espectro;

Fauré – Nocturnos n.os 4, 5 y 6;

Chopin – Variaciones, op. 2, «Là ci darem la mano».

Mathis Cathignol

French pianist Mathis Cathignol has rapidly established himself as one of the most promising artists of the new generation. Born in 2000, he graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) with Master’s degrees in both Piano Performance and Piano Accompaniment, receiving the highest distinction unanimously in both disciplines. His musical education was shaped by some of France’s most distinguished musicians, including Florent Boffard, Roger Muraro, Claire Désert, Anne-Lise Gastaldi, Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, Igor Lazko, Célimène Daudet, Bernard d’Ascoli, and Michael Wladkowski. He is supported by the Banque Populaire Foundation.

An acclaimed laureate of numerous international competitions, Mathis has received top prizes at competitions including Montrond-les-Bains, Flame, Opus Yvelines, Chatou, Cognac, Pianissima, and Collioure. His recent achievements include First Prize at the Pierre Barbizet International Piano Competition (Marseille, 2024) and Third Prize at the Épinal International Piano Competition (2025), confirming his position among the leading emerging French pianists.

As a concerto soloist, Mathis has performed a wide-ranging repertoire spanning the Classical and Romantic traditions to the twentieth century. His appearances include Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, Ravel’s Concerto in G major, Fauré’s Ballade, and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. He has collaborated with distinguished conductors including Giancarlo de Lorenzo, Pierre-Michel Durand, and Ustina Dubitsky, performing with the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra, the National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova, the Orchestre Désinences, and the Orchestre National de Metz.

Equally sought after as a recitalist, Mathis has appeared at some of France’s most respected festivals and concert series, including La Roque-d’Anthéron, Nohant, Salle Cortot, Festival Musique dans la Rue, Festival de Musique de Chambre de Beausoleil, Un Piano sous les Arbres, Musica Eaubonne, and numerous distinguished venues throughout the country. In 2025, he was featured on France Musique in the nationally broadcast program Générations France Musique, presented by Clément Rochefort.

Alongside his flourishing concert career, Mathis is dedicated to pedagogy. Since 2022, he has served as Professor of Piano at the Claude Debussy Conservatory in Paris, while also working extensively as a collaborative pianist. His artistic personality is distinguished by stylistic refinement, intellectual depth, and exceptional versatility, qualities that have earned him increasing recognition from audiences and critics alike.

With a repertoire embracing the great masterpieces of the piano literature and a musical approach combining elegance, virtuosity, and expressive maturity, Mathis Cathignol continues to build an international career as one of the most compelling young French pianists of his generation.