Matteo Myderwyk

Prodigious talent Matteo Myderwyk is part of the new generation of pianists ripping up the rule book and bringing the art of the piano to new audiences in innovative ways. While recent years have seen the likes of Nils Frahm and Chilly Gonzales reimagine what a pianist can be, Myderwyk follows in their footsteps with a stripped-back approach and an ambition of breaking out of staid ‘classical’ labels and reaching as wide an audience as possible.

What sets him apart is that all his music is completely improvised. He might have a rough idea or sketch in his head at most, but aside from that everything is created completely on the fly. He calls what he does ‘minimal music’, referencing his succinct approach to eliciting the maximum response from the minimum of arrangement or showboating. His improvisational approach encompasses both his studio recording—as boldly displayed on his debut LP To Move—and his mesmerising live performances, where he draws on memory, mood and atmosphere to conjure up his magic.

He had a relatively late introduction to music. He grew up in the countryside in the south of Holland, and chanced upon a cheap keyboard in a local store. He soon became infatuated with playing it and practising for hours and days at a time, and was given an old piano not long after. He began studying classical piano, then became an organist in local churches where would improvise during services, and so started to develop his approach. Once his talent and passion were clear for all to see, he went to study at conservatorium aged 17 to receive a formal training. Graduating in 2015 in classical piano and improvised music, he had all the tools he needed to bring his art to the world.

Now in his early twenties, he is set to stun critics with his assuredly mature yet youthfully inventive debut album. Recorded in the space of just two days at Eindhoven’s resplendent Muziekgebouw, To Move is of course comprised 100% of off-the-cuff material—not that you would ever know it to hear it. It’s ironic that he’s not particularly comfortable in the studio setting, however. He feels more at home on stage, where he can connect with the audience. His live shows captivate and stun at every turn, and look set to make him a huge star. Signed to Dutch label Excelsior Recordings, he is destined for very big things indeed.