You realise that this is not usual. This is not just two good pianists playing together. They sense each other’s most small, individual little bit of interpretation. - Sir Neville Marriner

‘It is like driving a pair of BMWs’, remarked conductor Michael Schønwandt, after directing the Dutch brothers Lucas (28) and Arthur Jussen (25). Despite their young age, they have been part of the international concert world for years and are praised vigorously by both press and audience. The Jussen brothers have performed with orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Concertgebouworkest, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, as well as Montréal, Sydney, Singapore and Shanghai Symphony Orchestras. They collaborated with conductors such as Christoph Eschenbach, Valery Gergiev,
Manfred Honeck, Sir Neville Marriner, Andris Nelsons, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Jaap vanZweden.

As ‘Artists in Residence’ of the Konzerthaus Berlin in the 2021/22 season, the Jussen brothers will perform in the iconic venue with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin as well as in chamber music performances and in recital. In January 2022, the Jussen brothers will perform the world premiere of Fazil Say’s concerto ‘Anka kuşu’ (Phoenix) for piano four-hand, written for them, with the Munich Philharmonic under the baton of John Storgårds. Further highlights of the season include concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, WDR Sinfonieorchester, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Academy of St Martin in the Fields as well as a Beethoven cycle with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra.

The duo can also be seen in recitals in Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam, Ghent, Basel, Budapest, Bologna, Turin and Aix-en-Provence, as well as in festivals such as Klavierfestival Ruhr, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Kissinger Sommer, Tivoli Stjernestunder Festival and the Schubertiade. Lucas and Arthur received their first piano lessons in their native town of Hilversum. It became clear quickly that they were great talents. As children, they were already invited to perform for the Dutch Queen Beatrix. First awards at competitions followed shortly. In 2005, the brothers studied in Portugal and Brazil for nearly a year at the invitation of Portuguese master pianist Maria João Pires. During the following years they took lessons from both Pires and two renowned Dutch teachers. Lucas completed his studies with Menahem Pressler in the US and Dmitri Bashkirov in Madrid. Arthur graduated from the Amsterdam Conservatory where he studied with Jan
Wijn.

Recording exclusively with Deutsche Grammophon since 2010, their debut CD with works by Beethoven received platinum status and was awarded the Edison Klassiek audience award. A Schubert recording and Jeux, a CD dedicated to French piano music, were subsequently released. Their recording of Mozart’s piano concertos KV 365 and KV 242 together with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Sir Neville Marriner reached gold status. The Jussen brothers also recorded Poulenc’s double piano concerto and Saint-Saëns’ ‘The Carnival of the Animals’ with the Concertgebouworkest and Stéphane Denève, as well as concertos and chorales by Bach with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta. The latest addition to their discography is ‘The Russian Album’.