Hannes Minnaar, hailed by Dutch newspaper Het Parool as the pianist who "joins the ranks of the great pianists of our time," has consistently earned praise for his ability to convey the essence of music with spontaneity and naturalness. Making history in 2019, he became the first Dutchman in 22 years to perform on the prestigious Master Pianists Series at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. The national press celebrated this achievement, emphasizing NRC's recognition of his playing as ‘free of bluff and swagger’ and ‘in deference to the music at all times.’
Highlights of recent seasons include a solo recital at the Concertgebouw and the world premiere of Jan-Peter de Graaff's concerto for lute/piano in the NTR Saturday Matinee series. Hannes Minnaar was also artist in residence at the AVROTROS Friday Concert in TivoliVredenburg and Musis Arnhem, where he collaborated with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra (in piano concertos by Beethoven and Brahms), baritone Thomas Oliemans, mezzo-soprano Katharine Dain, violinist Anthony Marwood, and the Van Baerle Trio.
Minnaar first gained attention as second prize winner of the Geneva International Music Competition in 2008 and third prize winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2010. He has been a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellow since 2011 and received the Dutch Music Prize in 2016.
His musical journey has been shaped by influential teachers such as Jan Wijn, Jacques van Oortmerssen, Menahem Pressler, and Ferenc Rados. His dedication to musical excellence is evident in collaborations with renowned conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Antony Hermus, Eliahu Inbal, Marin Alsop, Xian Zhang, Edo de Waart, James Gaffigan, David Robertson, Karina Canellakis, Philippe Herreweghe, and the late Jirí Belohlávek and Frans Brüggen.
He has performed at prestigious venues around the world, including the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), the Konzerthaus (Berlin), Musashino Hall (Tokyo), and the Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow).
In May 2025, Hannes made his debut in Hong Kong and Taiwan with no fewer than three complete performances of Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues, in addition to Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto (with members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra).
Hannes Minnaar also premiered a new cadenza, written by Klaas de Vries for Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto, with the Residentie Orkest conducted by Chloe Rooke.
In the summer of 2025, Minnaar's performance with the National Orchestra of Belgium, conducted by Antony Hermus, has been broadcast live on television on the occasion of the Belgian national holiday. The new season begins with a performance of the Shostakovich cycle in the UK and a tour with the Van Baerle Trio. Hannes Minnaar will give the opening concert at the Festival 20·21 in Leuven, performing preludes and fugues by Bach and Shostakovich.
Vitally important to Minnaar’s musical identity is his collaboration with the Van Baerle Trio, founded in 2004 with violinist Maria Milstein and cellist Gideon den Herder. The trio toured internationally in the “Rising Stars” series in 2014, performing at renowned venues like the Barbican (London), Musikverein (Vienna), and Cité de la Musique (Paris). The trio has released Beethoven's complete works for piano trio for Challenge Classics.
Minnaar's six solo albums received high acclaim, with his debut album featuring works by Rachmaninoff and Ravel, earning an Edison. BBC Music Magazine selected his second album Bach Inspirations as “Instrumental choice of the month. His third album featuring piano music of Gabriel Fauré received rave reviews, including from Gramophone: “Minnaar’s identification with this unique realm of music is complete, and his deeply felt interpretations shine with clarity and infinite nuance.” His discography further includes Beethoven’s complete Piano Concertos, with The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jan Willem de Vriend, the recital album Nox, Bach's Goldberg variations, which was rewarded an Edison and a Diapason d’Or, an album with Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues, all for Challenge Classics label, and Fernand de la Tombelle’s Fantaisie pour piano et orchestra with the Brussels Philharmonic led by Hervé Niquet for the Bru Zane label.
At home, next to a modern grand piano, Hannes Minnaar plays an Erard from 1858, which he has on loan from the Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation.
