About Zhora
Structure meets fire. Instinct meets precision. For Zhora Sargsyan, contradiction is not a source of fear — it is where the story begins.
THE ARTIST
Intellectual Discipline.
Poetic Imagination.
With the 3rd Grand Prix at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris in 2019, awarded by a jury led by Martha Argerich, the Armenian-German pianist Zhora Sargsyan stepped onto one of the most distinguished international stages for young pianists. “Wucht und Eleganz, Formgefühl und Klangsinn, Brillanz und Kantilene – dieser Pianist beherrscht alle Register” – “Power and grace, a feel for form and a sense of sound, brilliance and lyrical line – this pianist commands every register,” Deutschlandfunk Kultur wrote. His interpretations bring together emotional depth, pianistic maturity, and a stage presence that lends his artistic path an unmistakable signature.
ORIGINS
A childhood shaped by sound
His first international success came at the age of 15, when he won the 2nd Prize and the Audience Prize at the Aram Khachaturian Competition in Armenia. Born in Yerevan, he began his pianistic journey at the age of seven; since then, concerts have taken him through the great halls of Europe, Asia, and Canada.
FORMATION
On the
International Stage
Zhora Sargsyan has performed with renowned ensembles including the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Kammerakademie Halle, the Warmian-Masurian Symphony Orchestra, and the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. Collaborations with conductors such as Steven Sloane, Lio Kuokman, Jesko Sirvend, Sergey Smbatyan, Alexander Iradyan, and Dong Shin Lee have shaped his artistic path. He has given solo debuts in China, South Korea, and the Netherlands – including a recital in the historic hall of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam.
“Un Arménien au jeu souple et félin, Zhora Sargsyan, tout en poésie et sensibilitè, à l`ancienne,dans la détente musculaire, évitent la moindre duretè (Ravel !), sans autunt manquer de panache dans Rachmaninov (1st Concerto).’’
— LE FIGARO, CHRISTIAN MERLIN
19 November 2019
His success in Paris opened the doors to numerous festivals: the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Con Spirito Leipzig, Young Euro Classic Berlin, Meister und Meisterinterpreten in Dresden, the Bachtage Potsdam, the Harleshäuser Musikfest Kassel, the Deutschlandsberg Music Festival, and the Salzburg Castle Concerts in Austria, as well as “Amici di Paganini” in Genoa and the Hvide Sande Festival in Denmark. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he appeared in the “Debüt” series on Deutschlandfunk Kultur – a performance which Frederik Hanssen of Der Tagesspiegel described as that of “a pianist who can electrify even empty halls.”
Festivals & Defining Moments
Recent Highlights
Among the artistic highlights of recent years has been the performance of all of Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos, including the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, spread across several seasons. A further focus of his work lies in the in-depth study of central works of the piano repertoire – among them the French Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach, which will form the basis of a forthcoming CD recording.
CHAMBER MUSIC
Two voices,
one language
Chamber music holds a special place in Zhora Sargsyan’s artistic life. The violinist Natalia Prischepenko – longtime primarius of the renowned Artemis Quartet – was for many years his duo partner and one of his most formative mentors, whose musical insight has profoundly shaped the artist he is today. He has further collaborated with artists such as Hayoung Choi, Friedemann Ludwig, Tobias Feldmann, Peter Bruns, Pauline Sachse, and Norbert Anger. In the 2024/25 season, he performed alongside cellist Benjamin Kruithof as part of the ECHO Rising Stars series in the most prestigious concert halls across Europe. A recent recording of Robert and Clara Schumann at the Sendesaal Bremen with the Frielinghaus Ensemble reflects a musician who listens as intensely as he leads.
EDUCATION
Shaped by masters, defined by music
His musical training began at the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan under Prof. V. Harutyunyan and continued at the Berlin University of the Arts in the class of Prof. Klaus Hellwig, where he completed his postgraduate concert performance degree in 2025. He has received further valuable inspiration in masterclasses with Dmitry Bashkirov, Paul Lewis, Hortense Cartier-Bresson, Marianna Shirinyan, and Cédric Pescia.
Where music
meets meaning
Since 2021, Zhora Sargsyan has been passing on his musical knowledge himself – among other engagements, in the annual masterclasses of the Summer Academy at the Harleshausen Music Festival in Kassel. He is also a member of the Kammerton project, which has accompanied him on his musical path from an early stage. Zhora Sargsyan lives in Berlin.
A Pianist in Constant Search
Zhora’s artistic identity is shaped by something stronger than curiosity — a necessity that, at times, even haunts him. He is drawn to stylistic contrasts and to characters far removed from himself — the further from him, the more interesting the work becomes. He approaches such contradictions not with caution, but with commitment, returning again and again to the same pieces to discover new perspectives, new architectures, new stories worth telling.
“The concert stage is not a platform for display. It is a space of transformation.”
— ZHORA SARGSYAN
What the press has said
“With a supple touch and a keen sense of atmosphere, he brings the Brahms miniatures to life as romantic daydreams.”
— FREDERIK HANSSEN
Der Tagesspiegel · 18 April 2021
“Fast-paced, record-breaking — yet always with Mozartian lightness.”
— JOHANNES MUNDRY
HNA · 1 Aug 2023
“His performance ... left the audience absolutely spellbound.”
— WEEKBLAD WESTVOORNE
20 Nov 2022 · the Netherlands
SUMMER 2026
Masterclass with Zhora
Each summer, Zhora Sargsyan teaches at the Harleshauser Musikfest & Akademie in Kassel — an international gathering of advanced pianists from around the world. Open to young professionals, the masterclass offers intensive work on repertoire, interpretation, and the deeper questions of musical voice. Applications are handled by the festival.
Let’s work together
Zhora performs a number of engagements each season — concerts, festivals, residencies, private events. Every collaboration is shaped personally, in dialogue with the presenter, and tailored to the moment it serves.