Overview
Patrick Hemmerlé will perform a programme featuring Schumann’s Toccata, Chopin’s 24 Preludes, and Bach/Busoni’s Chaconne.
Performer
Patrick Hemmerlé is a French concert pianist based in Cambridge, UK. Acclaimed for his intellectually rich programming and virtuosic command of the instrument, he has built an international reputation. His repertoire is extensive and imaginative, showing unrelenting curiosity for lesser-known composers, and he is known for drawing deep connections between works from different styles and eras.
Currently Musician-in-Residence at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, Hemmerlé curates and directs the college’s celebrated concert series, Intimate Engagements. His recent concert appearances have taken him across Europe, China, and the United States, with performances in major cultural centres such as Berlin, Paris, Prague, Vienna, and New York, as well as at leading British festivals and music societies.
Hemmerlé is known not only for his technical command, but for his ambitious and thought-provoking concert formats. He has performed monumental works such as the complete 24 Études of Chopin or the entire 48 Preludes and Fugues of Bach in single-evening marathon performances. His double recital formats are particularly distinctive—for example, pairing Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations with Bach’s Goldberg Variations, or juxtaposing Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas with Schubert’s last three.
A passionate advocate for underrepresented repertoire, Hemmerlé frequently includes composers such as VÃtÄ›zslav Novák, Jean Roger-Ducasse, Nikolai Tchesnokov, Emmanuel, and Frank Martin in his programmes, often introducing audiences to major works they might otherwise never hear. This spirit of discovery also informs his discography, which includes recordings of Novak, Tchesnokov, Brahms, Schumann, and Roger-Ducasse.
Alongside his performance career, Patrick Hemmerlé is a dedicated teacher and musical thinker. He gives masterclasses and lecture-recitals in the UK and France, and his academic role at Cambridge allows him to engage students and audiences in discussions about structure, interpretation, and musical context. His concerts often include spoken introductions or in-depth programme notes that reflect his commitment to fostering deeper listening.
Details
This concert is open to the public and there is no need to book.
Admission is free with a cash retiring collection for local charity, East Anglian Air Ambulance.
Access
This event will take place in the Lee Hall which has step-free access and an accessible toilet.
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact our events team - events@wolfson.cam.ac.uk
Music at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½
Under the direction of Lyn Alcántara, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ has a thriving Music Society and College Choir with a full programme of concerts - please sign up to their to keep up to date with their upcoming events.
