An acknowledged master pianist, Jean-Yves Thibaudet is in demand worldwide for his elegant playing and poetically strong interpretations.  His extensive vocabulary of luminous colors and passionate sound, referred to as the "Thibaudet style," have helped him to forge an international career in both the performance and recording arenas.  A versatile and sophisticated musician, he is sought-after by the world's foremost conductors, orchestras and music festivals. Mr. Thibaudet's 2002 summer is rich in festival appearances in Europe and the U.S.  They include Spain's Granada with the Spanish National Orchestra, Germany's Klavier Festival Ruhr and with the Orchestre National de France at the Kissinger Sommer Festival, Italy's Spoleto and Switzerland's Verbier, plus a televised performance at England's BBC Promenade Concerts (his tenth appearance at the Proms).  In the US, he performs at Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony, and at Saratoga with the Philadelphia Orchestra as well as in chamber music with soprano Kathleen Battle.  He can be heard in solo recital in France, Italy and Spain. Also of note are a tour of England with the Philharmonia Orchestra, performances with the Birmingham Symphony, a recital with soprano Renée Fleming in Salzburg and a concert in Baden-Baden with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, James Levine conducting. An accomplished performer who is equally at home with chamber music and recitals as he is with orchestral repertoire, Mr. Thibaudet is in great demand as a collaborator.  He currently performs and records with such talents as Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Angelika Kirchschlager, Yuri Bashmet, and the Rossetti String Quartet. An exclusive recording artist for Decca with over 30 recordings, Mr. Thibaudet's fall 2002 release is entitled, "The Magic of Satie," a disk of both well-known and rare Satie works.  Recent recordings include a CD of the Mendelssohn Piano Concerti with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Herbert Blomstedt conducting (2001), and his first collaborative recording with soprano Renée Fleming, a collection of arias entitled "Night Songs," featuring works by Fauré, Debussy, Marx, Strauss and Rachmaninov (2001).  Additional recordings include a Chopin/Grieg disc with the Rotterdam Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev (fall 2000) and a two-CD set of Debussy works entitled "Debussy images, etudes: complete works for solo piano, Vol. 2" (spring 2000).  Jean-Yves' diverse repertoire includes works by Rachmaninov, Debussy, Liszt, Messiaen, Chopin, Shostakovich, Gershwin, Brahms, Schumann, D'Indy, Wolf and Ravel, for which his recording of the complete piano works received a Grammy nomination. He has made successful forays into the world of jazz as well, including "Reflections on Duke: Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays the music of Duke Ellington" (1999) and  "Conversations with Bill Evans," (1997). Outside of the traditional concert stage, Mr. Thibaudet's talent has also been recognized.  He has an onscreen cameo in the Bruce Beresford feature film on Alma Mahler entitled "Bride of the Wind," (released June 2001), and his playing is showcased throughout the movie soundtrack.  His playing can also be heard in the movie soundtrack of the feature film "Portrait of a Lady" for which he played two Schubert Impromptus (1997).  He was featured in the 2000 PBS/Smithsonian special, "Piano Grand!," a piano performance television special hosted by Billy Joel to give tribute to the 300th anniversary of the piano. Of French and German heritage, Jean-Yves Thibaudet was born in Lyon, France, where he began his piano studies at age five and made his first public appearance at age seven. At age 12, Thibaudet entered the Paris Conservatory where he studied with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Ravel.  At age fifteen he won the premier Prix du Conservatoire, and three years later won the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York.  In 2001, the Republic of France awarded Mr. Thibaudet the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.   Additional information about Mr. Thibaudet can be found at his record label's website:  http://www.deccaclassics.com/jeanyvesthibaudet"