Jan Hugo was born in South Africa and started his musical education at a young age in Pretoria. He made his debut at 12 years old with the Hugo Lambrechts Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leon Hartshorne, playing Saint-Saëns’ 5th piano concerto.
Just 13 years old, Jan was invited by Francesco Cipolletta to continue his studies in Modena, Italy, where a few years later he completed his Bachelor of Music degree with honorary mention cum laude. Jan continued his studies at the prestigious Accademia Pianistica Internazionale “Incontri col Maestro” in Imola, Italy, where he received guidance from Franco Scala and Boris Petrushansky. He has taken part in many masterclasses with world-renowned teachers such as Michel Dalberto, Joaquin Soriano, Robert Levin, Vovka Ashkenazy, Graham Scott, Olga Paschenko. From 2013 to 2016 Jan continued his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Mendelssohn Bartholdy” in Leipzig, Germany, and completed his Master’s degree cum laude.
Jan has been a top prize-winner in South Africa and Europe, including 1st prize at the UNISA National Piano competition in Pretoria, overall winner of the SAMRO Bursary Competition, 1st prize of the Royal Overseas League Piano Competition in London, 2nd prize at the Alkan-Zimmerman Competition in Athens. He also received study bursaries from the Italian Cultural Institute and the DAAD.
He has performed in major concert halls and festivals in France and Europe, including at the Salle Gaveau in Paris, the Liszt-en-Provence Festival, Chopin-en-Seyne Festival as well as at Villa Viardot and the Chateau de Rueil Malmaison in France; the Queen Elizabeth Hall and St. Martin in the Fields in London, the TivoliVredenburg Hall in Utrecht, the Netherlands) and the MITO festival in Milan and Turin, as well as the Sala Mozart in Bologna. He is regularly invited to perform at all the major South African music societies and has performed as soloist with the Johannesburg Philharmonic, the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic and Cape Town Philharmonic, under the baton of Daniel Boico, Sebastien Lang-Lessing, Bernhard Gueller, Arjan Tien, German Guttierez, Alexander Rahbari.
Jan also performs on historical instruments, and has recently completed a Master’s degree in Research and Practice on the fortepiano at the Sorbonne University and the Conservatoire in Paris. Jan is a prolific accompanist and has a duo with his wife, the soprano Clara Hugo. They perform regularly in France and Europe, and both completed a master’s degree from the Conservatoire in Milan specialising in art song.
From 2023 – 2024 Jan was assistant conductor at the Académie du Palais Royal Choir and Orchestra in Paris. Since November 2024 he is vocal coach at Cape Town Opera.
Jan Hugo 