French pianist Brigitte Engerer sadly died a few days ago, on 23rd June, from cancer. She was just 59. I loved Engerer’s playing.  She was born in Tunis and was of Maltese descent. Having started playing the piano at the age of five, she entered the Paris Conservatoire in the class of Lucette Descaves. Obtaining first prize in piano in 1968 aged just 15, in 1969, she won the Concours International Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud, and was invited to undertake further study at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory where she joined the class of Stanislav Neuhaus with whom she studied for nine years.

In 1980 Engerer’s career took a decisive turn when Herbert von Karajan invited her to play with the Berlin Philharmonic. Her subsequent career was divided between giving recitals and teaching at the Paris Conservatoire. She particularly enjoyed playing chamber music especially duets and two piano works.