Orlando Bass
Pianist & Composer
Orlando Bass is a French pianist, harpsichordist, and composer of British origin, born in 1994. He began his musical journey at a young age at the Limoges Conservatory, where he earned diplomas in over a dozen disciplines. In 2012, he joined the Paris Regional Conservatory (CRR) for advanced studies in accompaniment, where he developed a passion for vocal coaching. The following year, he was accepted into the prestigious Paris Conservatory (CNSMD), where he studied piano with Roger Muraro, chamber music with Itamar Golan, accompaniment with Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, and composition with Thierry Escaich.
Alongside his musical education, he earned several awards: in 2014, prizes in harmony and counterpoint, followed by a fugue prize in 2015. That same year, he won first prize at the Bologna Harpsichord Competition, organized by the Paolo Bernardi Foundation.
Since then, he has performed at numerous festivals as both a pianist and harpsichordist, including concerts at the Salle Pleyel and Studio 106 at Radio France. His deep passion for modern and contemporary music has earned him multiple awards for his interpretation of contemporary works.
He toured with Mireille Podeur, presenting a series of concerts featuring transcriptions for two harpsichords, which resulted in two recordings for the Maguelone label. He also worked on the music of composer-painter-engraver Michel Ciry, producing an album and an analytical thesis on his work.
In recent years, Bass has been focused on creating a series of pieces called Veränderungen — metamorphoses of past works. Beyond this series, he is fascinated by various transformation processes, which serve as a guiding thread through his compositions. Rejecting the comfort of a single, defined aesthetic, each new work presents a fresh challenge. He also frequently accompanies silent films, improvising live. His commitment to modern and contemporary repertoire, both as a soloist and chamber musician, drives him to collaborate on new works, while maintaining a strong connection to classical music, always striving to link the present with the past.