Villa Viardot – “Robert Schumann’s Piano” Masterclass with Françoise Thinat

The Villa Viardot hosts an exceptional masterclass dedicated to the interpretation of Robert Schumann’s piano works, led by pianist and educator Françoise Thinat, a specialist in the French piano tradition and founder of the Orléans International Piano Competition.

Throughout the day, five young pianists studying at undergraduate or postgraduate level will perform Schumann’s works for Françoise Thinat. The masterclass offers an opportunity to explore different approaches to piano interpretation and the performance traditions passed down through generations of pianists and teachers, from Lucette Descaves to Marguerite Long and Yvonne Lefébure.

Part of a weekend exploring the artistic connections between Pauline Viardot, Clara Schumann and Robert Schumann, the masterclass also brings together Françoise Thinat’s performance tradition and Laura Granero’s historical research into piano rolls and early recordings. The sessions take place around the 1898 Érard piano once owned by Pauline Viardot.

An exceptional opportunity to discover Schumann’s music, the history of piano performance and the different ways in which his repertoire can be approached and interpreted.