Rolf Plagge

Rolf Plagge is a Professor of Piano at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and curator of the Keyboard Department. He has been a faculty member since 1991, specializing in piano performance and pedagogy. His career includes international concert tours, masterclasses, and jury duties at major competitions like the Moscow Tchaikovsky Competition. Plagge is renowned for his transcriptions of orchestral works (e.g., Stravinsky’s ballets) and championing lesser-known repertoires such as Szymanowski and Henze. His discography spans over 30 recordings, emphasizing Russian, Polish, and Armenian music, and contemporary compositions. He co-leads the celebrated Klavierduo Königin Elisabeth with Wolfgang Manz since 1988, performing globally and releasing landmark recordings. Educated at renowned institutions including Hanover and Juilliard, Plagge’s awards include top prizes at the Busoni and ARD Competitions. His teaching focuses on German pedagogical traditions and modern interpretive techniques.

• Education: Studied under Vitaly Margulis, Paul Badura-Skoda, Gyorgy Sandor, and Karl-Heinz Kämmerling.
• Chamber Music: Specializes in violin-piano duos (Beethoven, Schubert) and collaborative works with artists like Christos Kanetti.
• Repertoire: Explores rarely performed works such as Henze’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and G. Benda’s classical concertos.

Grants & Awards: Multiple competition victories, including first German winner of the Tchaikovsky Prize. Active in jury roles for international piano competitions.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Klavierduo Königin Elisabeth and collaborates with orchestras like the Northwest German Philharmonic and Bochumer Symphoniker. Oversees keyboard acquisitions and partnerships with piano manufacturers at Mozarteum.