Stefan Cassomenos

Melbourne pianist and composer Stefan Cassomenos is one of Australia’s most vibrant and versatile musicians. He has been performing internationally since the age of 10, and is now established as one of Australia’s leading pianists.

In 2013, Cassomenos was a grand finalist and recipient of both the Second Grand Prize and Chamber Music Prize at the International Telekom Beethoven Piano Competition Bonn. He has been a grand finalist and prize winner in various other competitions.

Cassomenos gave the world premiere of his own Piano Concerto No 1 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at the age of 16. His concerto repertoire now exceeds thirty works, and has led to engagements with Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra.

Cassomenos has given solo recitals at many international venues and festivals, including Tonhalle Zurich, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Beethoven Festival Bonn, Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre, Bunkamura Orchard Hall Tokyo, and Junge Stars der Klassik Kirchheimbolanden. Cassomenos now performs regularly in Australia, Germany and the UK.

Cassomenos’ compositions are commissioned and performed in Australia and overseas. His music has been performed by many ensembles including Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. His new chamber opera Herodias was commissioned by Victorian Opera, and will be premiered as part of their 2021 season.

Cassomenos is active as an artistic director of various festivals, projects and collaborations.  He is a founding member of chamber ensemble PLEXUS, which since launching in 2014 has commissioned and premiered over 110 new works. Cassomenos is joint Artistic Director of Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, with violinist Monica Curro.

Born in 1985 in Melbourne, Stefan studied with Margarita Krupina, Stephen McIntyre, Ian Munro and Michael Kieran Harvey.