Dutch pianist Hannes Minnaar received international acclaim after winning prizes at the Queen Elisabeth Competition (3rd prize, 2010) and the Geneva International Music Competition (2nd prize, 2008). He studied with Jan Wijn at the Amsterdam Conservatory, graduating with the highest distinction in 2009 and took lessons with  Alfred Brendel, Willem Brons, Menahem Pressler and Ferenc Rados.  In addition, he studied organ with Jacques van Oortmerssen.

Minnaar gives recitals in many European countries. He has performed in Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Leipzig (Gewandhaus), Brussel (Palais des Beaux-Arts) and Toulouse (Cloître des Jacobins). In 2010 he was invited to the Bahrain International Music Festival. His performances were broadcast by BBC3, MDR, Klara and Radio 4.

At the age of 17, Minnaar made his debut with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alessandro de Marchi. Since then he has  performed with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Royal Flemish Philharmonic and National Orchestra of Belgium, working with conductors such as Nikolai Alexeev, Marin Alsop, Frans Brüggen, Edo de Waart and Otto Tausk. Next season, he will make his debut with several Dutch orchestras; the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has invited him to perform Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto under the baton of Herbert Blomstedt in 2013.

Minnaar is also active as a chamber musician. With his Van Baerle Trio he regularly performs  in the Netherlands and abroad. The ensemble won first prizes at the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition and Vriendenkrans/Het Debuut Competition in 2011. Janine Jansen invited him to perform with her and Mischa Maisky at the International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht in 2010.

His CD debut, containing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No.1 and Ravel’s Miroirs, is being released in October 2011 on Etcetera Records (KTC 1432). It was supported by a Fellowship from the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, granted to him in 2011.