Biography
Thomas Enhco, born in Paris in 1988, is a pianist and composer in jazz and classical music. He began classical training on the violin and piano as a child and studied formally at the CMDL and the Paris National Conservatory. Since then, he has achieved international recognition, recording for labels Verve, Deutsche Grammophon and Sony Music and performing 100 concerts per year around the world.
Among the venues that have invited him, are Jazz Festivals of Tokyo, Montréal, Vienne, Montreux, Istanbul, North Sea, New York, Olympia Hall... and Classical venues such as Philharmonie de Paris, Bordeaux Opéra, Brussels Flagey, La Roque d'Anthéron Piano Festival, Shanghai Grand Theater, Salzburg Mozarteum, Théâtre du Châtelet, Beijing Concert Hall, Kyoto Concert Hall, Sapporo Kitara Hall…
His most recent releases as a leader are the albums Thirty in solo piano and with symphony orchestra in his own Piano Concerto (Sony Classical, 2019), Bach Mirror (Sony Classical, 2021) and Funambules (Deutsche Grammophon, 2016) in duo with virtuoso percussionist Vassilena Serafimova, Feathers in solo piano (Verve, 2015) and Fireflies with his jazz trio (Label Bleu, 2012).
As a Jazz pianist, Thomas Enhco performs mainly in solo piano, in trio (with double-bass and drums), in quartet (with electric guitar) and in various duets (with his brother David Enhco on the trumpet, notably). In solo concerts, his unique combination of improvisations on jazz standards, pop songs and themes by great classical composers alike, as well as his own compositions, are praised by audiences and critics all around the world.
As a soloist with orchestra, he has played concertos by Mozart (K.491), Ravel (Concerto in G), Gershwin (Concerto in F, Rhapsody in Blue), Adams (Eros Piano) and Beethoven (Triple Concerto) as well as his own two Concertos with the national symphony orchestras of Bordeaux, Kyoto, Sapporo, Pau, Avignon, Geneva, Orchestre National de France, Ensemble Appassionato… with conductors Junichi Hirokami, James Gaffigan, Mathieu Herzog, Jean-Claude Casadesus, Fayçal Karoui, Julien Masmondet, Pierre Dumoussaud, Samuel Jean, Benjamin Lévy…
As a composer, he regularly receives commissions from orchestras, chamber music ensembles, choirs and soloists. He notably composed three symphonic works (two concertos and a rhapsody) and various works for piano, choir, string and wind ensembles. His last film score is for the movie Un Mondo in Più by Italian director Luigi Pane (2022).
Among the prizes and awards Thomas Enhco has received, are the SACEM Grand Prize for Jazz 2020, the Victoires du Jazz 2013, the 2nd Grand Prize at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition 2017, the FIPA d'Or for Best Film Score 2012 (Les Cinq Parties du Monde by French director Gérard Mordillat), the Django d’Or “New Talent” award 2010, the 3rd Grand Prize at Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition 2010…
Enhco has recorded and performed with top jazz and classical artists like Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci, Didier Lockwood, Kurt Rosenwinkel, José James, Peter Erskine, Ibrahim Maalouf, Gilad Hekselman, Mike Stern, Dan Tepfer, Cyrille Aimée; Henri Demarquette, Khatia Buniatishvili, Renaud Capuçon, Natalie Dessay, Michel Dalberto, Laurent Naouri, Anne-Sofie Von Otter, Quatuor Ébène, Quatuor Arod, Quatuor Hanson, Quatuor Modigliani, Jérôme Pernoo, Lise de la Salle, Beatrice Rana…
Since 2013, Thomas Enhco is supported in his projects by the BNP Paribas Foundation.