Chantal Balestri

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Chantal Balestri

Chantal Balestri is an Italian-Swiss pianist whose artistic work bridges performance, collaboration, and cultural engagement within an international context.

“Chantal Balestri is an excellent pianist with a virtuoso technique and deep and very personal sensitivity. But more than that, she is a dynamic, creative and determined force in the world of music in all its facets.”

Jeffrey Swann,

Concert Pianist

“I admire Chantal Balestri’s formidable piano virtuosity and integrity of musicianship, her clear and insightful teaching, and her devotion to creating and nurturing community among musicians worldwide. She is a force for good.“

Jed Distler,

Pianist / Composer / Gramophone writer

Jed Distler,

Pianist / Composer / Gramophone writer

“Praised for her ‘stage presence and sound technique.”
South Florida Classical Review

“Praised for her ‘stage presence and sound technique.”

South Florida Classical Review

Performance

& Artistic Activity

Performance

& Artistic Activity

Active worldwide as a performer, Chantal Balestri has developed an international career spanning Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Africa.

Since her solo debut with orchestra at the age of thirteen, she has appeared in numerous concerto performances with orchestras including the Brussels Chamber Orchestra, the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orquestra Sinfónica de Michoacán, under the direction of conductors such as Toufik Maatouk, Michael Guttman, and Roman Revueltas Retes.

She has performed in major concert halls and theaters worldwide, including Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall and Stern Auditorium), Lincoln Center, Klavierhaus and DiMenna Center in New York, the Harbin Concert Hall in China, the Wiener Saal in Salzburg, Sala Piatti in Bergamo, and the Kaisersaal des Historischen Kaufhauses in Freiburg, among many others. These performances form the foundation of her musical voice and continue to shape her artistic path.

She has collaborated with composers Rodion Shchedrin, Gilead Mishory, Paolo Marchettini, David Winkler, Andrea Talmelli, and Roberto Piana among others.

She has premiered solo and chamber compositions, including pieces promoted by Yamaha Piano Europe, and has appeared at major contemporary music festivals such as Composers Now (New York City) and Mostly Modern Festival (Saratoga Springs, NY).

Alongside her solo career, chamber music is part of her artistic life. She has collaborated with a wide range of singers and instrumentalists in ensembles from duo to septet, working with artists affiliated with institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera, The Juilliard School, Conservatorio del Liceu (Madrid).

Recent artistic projects

Echoes of USA

and Italy

Rediscovering Repertoire

Chamber Music Projects

See all the Projects

Outreach:

Community & Education

Parallel to her performing career, Chantal Balestri has developed a substantial profile in higher education and cultural leadership.

She has taught at university level since 2015 and has held academic appointments in Europe and the United States, including work as Adjunct Piano Faculty at New York University, collaborative pianist for voice and conducting departments, and guest/visiting professor at institutions such as Columbia University, Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Central Florida, the Manhattan School of Music (New York), Conservatorio de Valdivia (Chile), Universidad Michoacana de Morelia (Mexico), Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas), University of Central Florida (Orlando, Florida), the National Conservatory of Nairobi (Kenya), and at important institutions such as Piano League (NY) and the Steinway Halls in Nashville and Fayetteville (Arkansas).

Chantal was appointed President of the World Piano Teachers Association – New York Chapter in January 2019, a role she held until returning to Italy in 2020. Since then, she has taught at several Italian conservatories and as a music-management instructor at the European School of Economics in Rome. She is currently Piano Faculty at the Conservatorio “Scarlatti” in Palermo.

Since 2018 she has served as juror for national and international piano competitions, including the Piano Star International Competition (Piano League, New York City), The Golden Keys Competition (New York), the Music Alive International Piano Competition (Katowice, Poland), and the national competition “Giovani Promesse” (Bergamo).

Parallel to her performing career, Chantal Balestri has developed a substantial profile in higher education and cultural leadership.

Music as a bridge

between worlds

Chantal firmly believes in music as a vehicle for social impact, which has led her to participate in several projects of cultural and educational significance, including AIGU (Italian Youth Association for UNESCO). For her commitment, she was selected among the world’s leading musician-leaders by The Global Leaders Institute (GLI), earning a Graduate Certificate in 2021. Her work has also been recognized with certificates from Harvard University (2022 and 2023) through her mentorship role within the GLI program. She subsequently hosted the first International GLI Summit in Italy in June 2023.

Chantal co-founded the Lunigiana International Music Festival in 2018, serving as Artistic Director, and in 2021 co-founded MusiKenya, of which she is President. Both projects aim to enrich their communities through high-level educational and performance activities.

Today

Today, Chantal Balestri continues to pursue an active international performing career while developing artistic, educational, and outreach projects that reflect her belief in music as a space of connection, dialogue, and shared human experience, always with performance at the core. She is based in Palermo and lives between Palermo, Lunigiana and New York City, while maintaining professional engagements worldwide.

Curriculum Vitae

For a complete and detailed overview of performances, education, and projects.

English

Italian