Israeli pianist Yaara Tal and her German partner Andreas Groethuysen make up one of the world’s leading piano duos and regularly give performances at such prominent venues as “Concertgebouw” in Amsterdam, “Philharmonies” in Berlin, Cologne and Munich, “Teatro alla Scala” in Milan, “Musikhalle” in Hamburg, “Hongkong Arts Festival,” “Frick Collection” in New York, “Forbidden City Concert Hall” in Beijing,” Piano-Festival La Roque d´Anthéron,” “Salzburger Festspiele,” “Musikverein” in Vienna, “Tonhalle” in Zurich – to name but a few. In addition to homogeneity and spontaneity, which are unsurpassed musically, the duet shows great creativity in their “recitals,” whose programs, in addition to the traditional repertoire, include unjustly neglected musical treasures.Exclusive collaboration with the “Sony Classic” label completes an important part of their international success. The Duo “Tal & Groethuysen” has released numerous recordings of piano music for four hands (mostly world premiere recordings, for example of pieces by Carl Czerny, Reinhard Febel, Theodore Gouvy, Charles Koechlin, Felix Mendelssohn, Max Reger, Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner) enthusiastically received by both critics and audiences. Their CD´s have won the coveted “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik” award no less than seven times, while the “German Phono Academy” has recognized its “Echo Klassik”-Prize for four of their recordings, including the complete recording of Schubert´s music for four hands and Mozart´s complete piano duo repertoire. Other awards outside Germany’s borders, such as the “Cannes Classical Award,” Gramophone’s “Editor’s Choice” and the “Supersonic Award” reflect their great reputation internationally. In 2009 the duet recorded two new discs, first Mendelssohn’s Octet Op. 20 and his First Symphony in four-hand transcriptions by the same composer, and Bach’s Goldberg Variations in a two-piano version by Joseph Rheinberger, which will be presented at Asiagofestival 2010.