We meet a reflective young man who does not show any sign of how successful his career has been so far. He comes from a family of musicians: his mother a violinist, his father also a violinist, later a famous conductor. One might assume that with so much musical activity, young Alexandre was constantly moving from concert hall to concert hall. But Kantorow experienced those years differently: “We rarely went to concerts.” At least he must have started music lessons early? “For many years, the piano was really just something I liked to do after school.”

A decisive impulse to become passionate about this instrument came from a comic series: “Tom & Jerry.” In one scene, Tom the cat, while playing Franz Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2,” battles with the grand piano and his cunning adversary, Jerry the mouse. Young Alexandre wanted to be able to play this music by Liszt as well. His enthusiasm for the piano was ignited. The magic of music unfolds slowly and freely. Perhaps his parents did the only right thing: “They were very careful and held back.” Only later, when Alexandre developed the desire to pursue a career as a pianist, “did they become more involved and start giving me advice.” He was 14 years old at the time.

Only eight years later, after studying at the Paris Conservatory and the École Normale de Musique, Kantorow won the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow—the first French pianist ever to do so. In the final round, he did not choose Tchaikovsky’s famous First Piano Concerto but rather the lesser-known Second. He had previously discovered the score in his father’s library. It almost seems curious that Kantorow signed up for the competition in Moscow rather than for the Queen Elisabeth Competition, which was much closer in Brussels. “The program selection in Moscow is more flexible; you are not as restricted after the first round. And in Moscow, you are allowed to play two solo concertos in the final round. That enormous challenge excited me.”

After his triumph, Kantorow was no longer a newcomer but rather the gold medal winner of one of the world’s most famous music competitions. This changes careers. It did for Alexandre Kantorow as well. Many debut performances followed, and he learned to set priorities and plan ahead carefully. “I ultimately have to figure out what I want to do with my life.”

With great care, Kantorow shapes his artistic career. For instance, he recorded all three piano sonatas by Johannes Brahms—works that are less popular than the sonatas of Chopin or Liszt. However, Kantorow did not record them as a cohesive cycle but rather in stages, pairing them with works by Bartók and Schubert. Those who want to get an exemplary impression of Kantorow’s piano artistry might listen to the slow movement of Brahms’s Third Sonata: subtle sound blends, lyrical phrasing, and a thoughtful balance of voices.

Kantorow sees himself as a family-oriented person who does not want to neglect his interests outside of music too much, such as playing tennis. Family ties also influence his daily life, as he occasionally performs on stage with his father Jean-Jacques—whether as a violin and piano duo or as conductor and soloist. “We have made it our goal to do as much as possible together during our shared years in the music world.” As for conducting himself, Kantorow Jr. has not yet seriously pursued that path. He leaves that to others—for now. Instead, we experience him as a passionate chamber musician. In the summer of 2022, Kantorow hosted his own festival in Nîmes, in the south of France, organized with two close friends: “Rencontres de Nîmes.” For several days, he performed in multiple chamber concerts. “A marathon,” Kantorow admits, while also raving about the special atmosphere. Here again, the musical tour guide shines through.

Photo: Sasha Gusov