Finnish pianist Folke Gräsbeck (b. 1973) has performed more than 200 of Sibelius’s c. 550 compositions, and has given the world première performances of 82 of them. He was the first pianist to give a recital at the new Sibelius Hall in Lahti (14th March 2000), playing a programme exclusively devoted to Sibelius piano music premières. His Sibelius repertoire also includes the Piano Quintet in G minor, the four piano quartets and the complete works for piano trio. In 1996 he was awarded the medal of Sibelius’s Birthplace in Hämeenlinna.
Folke Gräsbeck studied the piano under Tarmo Huovinen at the Turku Conservatory (1962-74) and won first prize in the Maj Lind Competition in 1973. He made numerous study visits to London, where he was taught privately by Maria Curcio-Diamond. He also studied under Prof. Erik T. Tawaststjerna at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and became a Master of Music there in 1997. He has performed some thirty piano concertos and given performances as a recitalist, chamber player and Lied accompanist in the USA, Egypt, Israel, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mexico as well as in many European countries. He has made numerous recordings for BIS, many of which are included in the company’s complete recorded Sibelius edition.