Knut Hanssen, a distinguished German pianist and conductor, earned his Master’s and Konzertexamen with distinction from the Cologne Conservatory under Sheila Arnold, followed by Meisterklasse studies with Wolfram Schmitt-Leonardy and a conducting degree in Munich. He has garnered top prizes at major international competitions, including the Jeunesses International Piano Competition Dinu Lipatti (1st Prize, 2016), the James Mottram International Piano Competition (2nd Prize, 2018), and the Beethoven-Ring from Citizens for Beethoven (2021). As a scholarship recipient of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, German National Academic Foundation, and Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now, he performs extensively as soloist, concerto soloist (e.g., Beethoven Emperor Concerto as pianist-conductor), and in the acclaimed duo Kim & Hanßen, supported by the Werner Richard – Dr. Carl Doerken Foundation