Born in Montreal, Canada, in 1961, Marc-André Hamelin not only started playing the piano at the age of five. His father soon introduced him to composers such as Charles-Valentin Alkan and Leopold Godowsky. And with their hellishly difficult works, Hamelin later established his reputation as a pianistic wizard. That Hamelin is also a magical sound aesthetic can be seen from his countless recordings.

As a breathtaking devil's virtuoso and artistic creator in one, Hamelin has now become a regular guest at the Ruhr Piano Festival. In the upcoming festival edition, he is featured as a "portrait artist" in action. Together with cellist Johannes Moser, he plays chamber music by Debussy, Boulanger, as well as his own pieces. In the solo recital, Hamelin sheds light on the 20th century with works by Stefan Wolpe and Frank Zappa as well.