Ralph van Raat has been completely fascinated by classical music of the twentieth century since the age of 14. Although his repertoire ranges from Bach to Boulez, his primary focus has always been on composers dating from Debussy, Bartók and Ives to present day masters. His aim is to convince his audiences of the immense beauty and diversity of music of our own time through solo recitals, lecture-recitals, concerto performances, CD-releases and special projects.

Van Raat helps audiences identify with modern day composers by adhering to a classical approach: he firmly believes that a strong sense of classical structure as well as a refinement of tone is essential in conveying the logic and poetry of any music. This did not go unrecognized: recipient of a substantial number of national and international awards, many composers wrote solo works for him, and he performed over fifty piano concertos with orchestras worlwide such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

He has recorded over thirty CD’s. Van Raat also is a frequent speaker and performer on radio and television shows, and teaches at both the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the Accademia di Musica di Pinerolo (Turin) in between his concerts. Ralph was named a Steinway Artist by the famous piano manufacturer in 2003, joining an exclusive circle of renowned international artists. In his free time, Ralph enjoys flying as a commercial pilot for Dutch aviation company Special Air Services.