Michael Matthes (born 26 February 1966,

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

) is a French organist.

Education

Matthes received his first organ lessons privately from

Marie-Claire Alain Marie-Claire Geneviève Alain-Gommier (10 August 1926 – 26 February 2013) was a French organist, scholar and teacher best known for her prolific recording career, with 260 recordings, making her the most-recorded classical organist in the world ...

. In 1985, after three years of studies at the

Paris Conservatory The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

with Odile Pierre, he won first prize. Only one year later he won a first prize of excellence. During the same time he studied Analysis, Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue with

Yvonne Desportes Yvonne Desportes (18 July 1907 – 29 December 1993) was a French composer, writer, and music educator. She was born in Coburg, Germany, to Émile Desportes, a composer, and Bertha Troriep, a painter. She was a student of Paul Dukas and won th ...

and

Marcel Bitsch Marcel Bitsch (December 29, 1921, Paris – September 21, 2011, Toulouse) was a French composer, teacher and analyst. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris and also was professor of counterpoint there. Career In 1939, Marcel Bitsch entered t ...

and the improvisation with

Pierre Cochereau Pierre Eugène Charles Cochereau (9 July 1924 – 6 March 1984) was a French organist, improviser, composer, and pedagogue. Cochereau was titular organist of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1955 to his death in 1984 and was responsible ...

. This course won him the gold medal of the Cziffra foundation.

Career

At the age of nineteen he gave his first concert at the cathedral of

Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the ...

and since 1986 he has played in several festivals and became the youngest soloist of Radio-France. His passion for the music written by

Marcel Dupré Marcel Jean-Jules Dupré () (3 May 1886 – 30 May 1971) was a French organist, composer, and pedagogue. Biography Born in Rouen into a wealthy musical family, Marcel Dupré was a child prodigy. His father Aimable Albert Dupré was titular o ...

led him to a set of nine concerts featuring the composer's work. He is often invited to play at prestigious festivals such as Villa Medicis Rome, Istanbul, Athenes, Berlin. Considered a brilliant organist by most conductors, he is often asked to be the soloist of the greatest European orchestras. He has appeared on television, and leads master classes based on the works of Marcel Dupré and

Jeanne Demessieux Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux (13 February 1921 – 11 November 1968) was a French organist, pianist, composer, and teacher. She was the chief organist at Saint-Esprit for 29 years and at La Madeleine in Paris starting in 1962. She perfo ...

. Matthes is organist of the great organ at

Troyes Cathedral Troyes Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Troyes) is a Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, located in the town of Troyes in Champagne, France. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Troyes. The ca ...

and he is at present professor of organ at the Conservatoire National Marcel Landowski at Troyes. In 2007 he was awarded the distinction “Chevalier de l’

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

” by the French Ministry of Culture.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthes, Michael Living people French classical organists French male organists Cathedral organists Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Conservatoire de Paris alumni 21st-century organists 21st-century French male musicians 1966 births Male classical organists