Nelson Goerner has performed with many of the major orchestras including the Orchestre de Paris, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Philharmonia, Spanish National Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Mariinsky Orchestra, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo with leading conductors such as Alain Altinoglu, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Frans Bruggen, Sir Mark Elder, Philippe Herreweghe, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Jonathan Nott, Fabio Luisi, Vasily Petrenko, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. He has appeared at many prestigious festivals including the Salzburg Festival, La Roque d’Anthéron, Piano aux Jacobins in Toulouse, La Grange de Meslay, Tsinandali, Edinburgh International Festival, Festival de Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein and the BBC Proms. In the 21/22 season, Goerner was Artist in Residence at Flagey, Brussels and opened the Flagey Piano Days festival in 2022 with a performance of the Martucci Piano Concerto No.2 with the Brussels Philharmonic. In the 2024/25 season, Goerner performs with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and on tour in Spain with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.
A keen chamber musician, Goerner regularly collaborates with Martha Argerich, Renaud Capucon, Sol Gabetta, Gary Hoffman, Alexei Ogrintchouk, and Tedi Papavrami. In 24/25, Goerner performs throughout Europe in a new trio with Ning Feng and Edgar Moreau.
Goerner has a strong relationship with the Mozarteum Argentino in Buenos Aires and enjoys a long association with the Chopin Institute in Warsaw, with whom he released several albums of unusual repertoire on the Institute’s own record label with several Diapason d’Or awards. Most recently, he received this prestigious award for his latest release in 2019 which features works by Godowski and Paderewski, including the latter’s monumental Variations and Fugue op. 23.
Goerner records predominantly for Alpha Classics and his discography for them includes works by Liszt, Albéniz, Chopin, Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Schumann, Fauré and Franck. Accolades include: France Musique’s choice for his most recent album of Liszt in 2024; Gramophone Editor’s choice for his Brahms, Diapason d’Or of the Year for his recording of Debussy; BBC Music Magazine’s Recording of the Month for his album of works by Schumann; Choc de Classica and Diapason d’Or for his Chopin Preludes album; plus resounding critical acclaim for his recording of Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata Op. 106. He has been awarded the “Gloria Artis” Award, the foremost cultural distinction in Poland, and has also received the Konex Platinum Prize by the Konex Foundation in Buenos Aires in 2019.
Goerner was born in San Pedro, Argentina in 1969. After studying with Jorge Garrubba, Juan Carlos Arabian and Carmen Scalcione, he was awarded First Prize in the Franz Liszt Competition in Buenos Aires in 1986. This led to a scholarship to work with Maria Tipo at the Geneva Conservatoire, and in 1990 Nelson Goerner won the First Prize at the Geneva Competition.
Nelson Goerner lives in Switzerland with his wife and son. He is a proud and active supporter of the humanitarian organisation, Ammala.
