Roger Muraro

Roger Muraro is a classical pianist, born in Lyons, France in 1959, to parents who came from the Venetia region of Northeast Italy. He grew up in a village in the Lyons region. Chance had it that, because there was no place for Roger in the local football club, his parents enrolled him in the local band, where he learned the saxophone. He entered Lyons conservatory at the age of 11, initially studying the saxophone. He began to teach himself the piano, and when this came to the attention of his saxophone professor, the latter enrolled him in the piano classes of Suzy Bossard. When he was 17 he attempted the entry competition for the Paris Conservatoire. Although unsuccessful, he caught the attention of Yvonne Loriod, wife and privileged interpreter of the composer Olivier Messiaen. He joined her class in 1978. He obtained first prizes in chamber music in 1980 and in piano in 1981. He also studied with Éliane Richepain, who helped him prepare for the Tchaikovsky Competition, winning fourth prize in 1986. He was awarded Victoire de la Musique in the category of instrumental soloist. Muraro achieved early recognition as an interpreter of Messiaen's piano works. Messiaen congratulated him personally after a performance of Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus, praising «sa technique éblouissante, sa maîtrise, ses qualités sonores, son émotion, et j’oserai dire sa Foi !… » (his dazzling technique, his mastery, the quality of his tone, his emotion and, I would dare to say, his Faith). He went on to record the complete piano works of Messiaen. These recordings received numerous critic's awards, including a Diapason d'Or and the highest critical ratings from Le Monde de la Musique and Telérama. Muraro has also recorded the complete piano works of Ravel.