Michel Sogny (born 21 November 1947 in Pau, France) is a French pianist, composer, and writer of Hungarian descent. He developed a new approach to teaching the piano. His method has enabled many students of all ages to enjoy practicing this instrument, as piano playing is generally considered to be unattainable if not taught during childhood

Biography

Michel Sogny attended École Normale de Musique de Paris, where he pursued piano studies under the direction of

Jules Gentil Jules Charles Henri Gentil (10 February 1898 – 25 May 1985) was a French pianist and pedagogue. Biography Born in Annecy, Gentil first studied the piano with his mother, who had been a student of Georges Mathias, then with Santiago Riera (1867 ...

and

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 ...

. He holds a master's degree in psychology, a bachelor's degree in literature and a PhD in philosophy, which he completed at the Sorbonne in 1974 under the direction of Vladimir Jankélévitch. Michel Sogny is the founder of SOS Talents Foundation. Michel Sogny emerged in the world of music in 1970s. Soon after, he established himself as an author of an innovative music learning method. Along with Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

's great-grand daughter, Blandine Ollivier de Prévaux, Sogny was one of the founding members of the Franz Liszt French Association. In 1974 Michel Sogny founded a music school in Paris. As well he opened a literary and musical saloon where he gathered artists, writers and intellectuals. In 1975, he published his first book, ''Admiration Créatrice chez List''. The preface to his book was written by

György Cziffra Christian Georges Cziffra (; born Cziffra Krisztián György; 5 November 192115 January 1994) was a Hungarian-French virtuoso pianist and composer. He is considered to be one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of the twentieth century. Among h ...

. In 1981 he wrote a song ''Comme un bateau ivre'' with Jeane Manson, who was his student at that time. Same year he appeared in television series ''Grâce à la Musique'' – Franz Liszt directed by François Reichenbach. He also opened 2nd music school in Geneva. In 1985, Michel Sogny's piano method was introduced at the Bureau International du Travail à Genève, by its Director General

Francis Blanchard Francis Blanchard AC (21 July 19169 December 2009) was the second longest-serving Director-General of the International Labour Organization. Early life Francis Blanchard was born on 21 July 1916 in Paris, France. After studying in Sorbonne, Bla ...

, to integrate a cultural dimension within the organization. Michel Sogny continued implementing his piano method throughout 1990s. He focused on working with young talented pianists. On 15 March in 1993 he performed with his student Myriam Gramm, a piano piece for four hands – Grand Galop Chromatique of Franz Liszt at the stage of Grand Théatre de Genève. Barbara Tataradze et Ilia Lotatidze avec Michel Sogny

Barbara Tataradze et Ilia Lotatidze avec Michel Sogny

In 1995, Sogny is invited as an Artistic Director at Villa Schindler, a musical institution in Austria, under the high patronage of Yehudi Menuhin. Under his guidance young pianists follow masterclasses and perform at international festivals. Some of Villa Schindler students, include well known pianists:

Elisso Bolkvadze Elisso Bolkvadze or Eliso Bolkvadze ( ka, ელისო ბოლქვაძე) is a Georgian classical pianist born in Tbilisi, Georgia. She is member of Parliament of Georgia since 11 December 2020. Early life Elisso Bolkvadze comes fro ...

, Tamar Beraia, Khatia Buniatishvili, Yana Vassilieva and

Anna Fedorova Anna Borysivna Fedorova ( uk, А́нна Бори́сівна Фе́дорова; born February 27, 1990) is a Ukrainian concert pianist. Fedorova performs as soloist, chamber musician and with symphony orchestras in the major concert halls of th ...

. Michel Sogny founded SOS Talents Foundation. The main goal of the foundation is to support talented young musicians from economically poor backgrounds (who mostly come from Eastern European countries). Pianists who are the nominees of the foundation, follow Sogny’s piano method and perform their program during various concerts. The first gala concert of SOS Talents Foundation was held in 2001 at the Marcel Dassault Palace in Paris, with patronage of Serge and Nicole Dassault, participants included, Sogny’s students Yana Vassileva and Khatia Buniatishvili. Same year at the Théàtre des Champs-Élysées performed: Elisso Bolkvadze, Yana Vassilieva, Khatia Buniatishvili and her sister Gvantsa. In 2002, SOS Talents Foundation hosted an international festival in Montreux, Switzerland. Well-known pianist Aldo Ciccolini took stage along young nominees – Elisso Bolkvadze, Tamar Beraia, Khatia Buniatishvili and Yana Vaissileva. In 2004, in Coppet, Switzerland, Michel Sogny founded the new festival Festival de Piano Michel Sogny. In 2009, under the patronage of

President of Lithuania The President of the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas) is the head of state of Lithuania. The officeholder has been Gitanas Nausėda since 12 July 2019. Powers The president has somewhat more executive authority tha ...

, Valdas Adamkus, Sogny hosted gala concert of SOS Talents Foundation in Vilnius. After 40 years of pedagogical experience, Michel Songy continues to discover a new generation of pianists within his project, SOS Talents Foundation. In 2013, Michel Sogny introduces thriller L’Adulte Prodige. The book narrates the story of a young musician Michele Paris. In 2014, Michel Sogny publishes his philosophical work, ''De Victor Hugo à Dostoïevsky'', a dialogue with Alexis Philonenko. Michel Sogny forms a 4 hands piano duo with

. In particular, they interpret in first hearing original versions by Franz Liszt of some of his works: Orphée Les Préludes, La Bataille des Huns, Rhapsodies Hungarianes 2,6,15,19. Throughout 2017–2019, Michel Sogny is invited to Georgia to hold master classes in the framework of the Batumi International Festival. He is accordingly invited to Japan, at Ishikawa Music Academy.

Michel Sogny piano method

Sogny’s methodology is taught at his schools in Paris and Geneva. Since 1974, more than 20,000 students are mastering piano by Sogny’s method. The method consists of two main components: Didactic works – Prolégomènes, which represent small exercises. Polégomènes develop the perception of musical symphony and sound. The second direction consists of the cycle of etudes, where the concentration is on development of technical skills, as hand gestures and positions. One of Sogny’s students, who started piano practice already as an adult, was a French language professor Michel Paris. After completing Sogny’s 4-year methodology course, at the age of 30 she performed a solo concert at

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while th ...

with the patronage of Ministry of Culture. Michel Sogny's another successful student was Claudine Zévaco, who performed at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in 1983 and 1984. In 1981, the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

formally addressed the Minister of Culture, Jack Lang to discuss the introduction of Michel Song's methodology throughout whole France.

Pianist and Composer

Miche Sogny is the author of didactic works for piano, on which he based his own methodology. Some of his most recognised works are: ''Prolégomènes à une Eidétique Musicale'', ''Les Paralipomènes'' à ''une Eidétique Musicale'' and ''Études pour piano''. He is also an author of musical compositions : ''Furia'', ''Triptyque'', ''Entrevisions'', ''Dérive'', ''Hommage à Liszt'', ''Aquaprisme'', ''Réminiscentiel'', ''Trois pièces dans le style hongrois'', ''Deux Études de concert'', ''Reviviscence''. On June 24, 2023, Michel Sogny received the Grand Prix Alain Fournier for his book "L'Adulte Prodige" awarded at La Sorbonne by "Accademia Euromediterrania delle ARTI"

Published works

* ''L'admiration créatrice chez Liszt'', ed. Buchet-Chastel (1975) * ''Le solfège sans soupir'', ed. Sirella (1984) * ''Abrégé de solfège'', ed. Sirella * ''La méthode en question(s)'', ed. Sirella * ''La méthode en action'', ed. Sirella * ''Initiation à l'art de la composition musicale'', ed. Sirella * ''Le pédagogue virtuose'' – livre de l'enseignant, ed. Sirella * ''La Musique en Questions, entretiens avec Monique Philonenko'' Ed. Michel de Maule (2009) * "L'adulte prodige – Le rêve au bout des doigts" Editions France-Empire (2013) * ''De Victor Hugo à Dostoïevski – Entretiens philosophiques avec Alexis Philonenko'',

éditions France-Empire France-Empire is an independent French publishing house, created in 1945 by advocate and politician . History In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, Éditions France-Empire began publishing works about the war years 1939-1945. Following ...

(2013)

Scores

* Œuvres choisies (sélection des principales œuvres du répertoire pianistique doigtées et commentées) * Études pour piano – Séries I à VII * Etudes de perfectionnement * Deux Etudes de Concert * Prolégomènes à une eidétique musicale pour piano 2 mains – Séries I à VII * Prolégomènes à une eidétique musicale pour piano 2, 6 et 12 mains * Pièces de concert pour piano (Triptyque, Aquaprisme, Furia, Réminiscentiel, Hommage à Franz Liszt, Deux études de concerts, 3 pièces dans le style hongrois, Un certain clair de lune ) * Dérive pour piano Editions Durand (enregistré chez Cascavelle par la pianiste Elisso Bolkvadze) * Entrevisions 12 pièces pour piano crée sur Mezzo TV par la pianiste Elisso Bolkvadze (

Éditions Durand Éditions Durand are a music publishing company of French origin, among the most important in the field of classical music, which includes three previously independent publishers: * Éditions Durand — the oldest of the three companies — estab ...

) * 12 études pour piano dans le style hongrois Séries I à IV (Éditions Durand) * 12 pièces pour piano pour la main droite seule (dedicated to pianist France Clidat) * Paralipomènes à une eidétique musicale 14 pièces pour piano Editions Musicales Artchipel * Hommage à Liszt Editions Durand * Aquaprisme Editions Durand * 3 Pièces dans le style hongrois Editions Durand * 48 Etudes de Perfectionnement Editions Musicales Artchipel * Etudes pour piano Deuxième série Editions Musicales Artchipel * 24 Pensées Vagabondes Editions Musicales Artchipel * Reviviscence 14 pièces pour piano

Honours and awards

* Order of Honor, Georgia (2017) * Honorary Consul of Lituania in SwitzerlandHonorary consuls of Lithuania in Switzerland
/ref> * UNESCO Diploma of Honour (1994) * United Nations Peace Medal (1986)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sogny, Michel 21st-century French male classical pianists 20th-century French male classical pianists 20th-century French composers École Normale de Musique de Paris alumni Living people 1947 births People from Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques