German pianist Kristian Keil (1995) took his first piano lessons with J. Crljenko at the Art School of Poreč, Croatia. He continued his education at the Music School Pavao Markovac in Zagreb, where, under the tutelage of Ruben Dalibaltayan, he finished high school in three years, as opposed to the usual four. Having then enrolled at the Zagreb Academy of Music and studied with Lovro Pogorelich, he graduated and obtained a Master of Arts degree in piano performance in June 2019. In addition to this, Kristian has also studied International Relations & Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science/University of London.

During his education, Kristian has won almost all piano competitions in Croatia, bringing home more than twenty-two first prizes from both national and international competitions. Those include: Lions Grand Prix in Rijeka, European Piano Teachers’ Association (EPTA) Competition in Osijek, Young Virtuosi and Zlatko Grgošević in Zagreb, Chopin’s Golden Ring in Slovenia, Ars Nova in Italy, Distant Chords in Split, and many others. He also received first prizes in other music categories such as duo, trio, and piano duo. He has appeared multiple times on national television, most notably as part of the show "Master Performers", a programme that showcases the most successful young musicians from all across Croatia. Kristian is also a three-time recipient of the "Oscar of Knowledge", one of the highest awards for scholastic activities bestowed by the Ministry of Science and Education of Croatia.

During his career, Kristian has performed in Croatia, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, Hungary, and France. Kristian has attended masterclasses given by internationally renowned pianists, including Jerome Rose, Emanuel Krasovski, Vassilia Efstathiadou, Eugen Indjić, Peter Eicher, Dmitri Rahmanov, Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz, Konstantin Bogino, Dalibor Cikojević, Zoltan Peter, Robert Lehrbaumer, and Vladimir Babin.

In recent years, Kristian has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates.

"Kristian is an explorer who attempts to discover the secret behind each piece that he plays. He doesn't go out onto the stage until he is fully confident that he can present each and every piece to its fullest splendour..." (L. Decroix)

"Keil's interpretation of J. S. Bach’s Partita No. 6 was profoundly moving—a performance of rare emotional depth and clarity. His phrasing illuminated the work’s spiritual intensity, balancing architectural precision with genuine introspection. The final Gigue, delivered with radiant conviction, left the audience hushed, as though witnessing both mastery and deep communion with the music’s soul." (S. Walter)