Olivier Gardon is a French classical pianist and piano teacher born on 29 January 1950 in Nice, France.

Early life

The seven year old prodigy had come to the attention of the Hungarian pianist Lili Kraus, who had strongly encouraged him to pursue a career in music. When he first performed with an orchestra at the Opéra de Nice playing Bach's piano

Concerto in D Minor The Oboe Concerto in D minor, S D935, is an early 18th-century concerto for oboe, strings and continuo attributed to the Venetian composer Alessandro Marcello. The earliest extant manuscript containing Johann Sebastian Bach's solo key ...

, he was only ten years old. He was trained by Madam Audibert-Lambert, a student of

Alfred Cortot Alfred Denis Cortot (; 26 September 187715 June 1962) was a French pianist, conductor, and teacher who was one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 20th century. A pianist of massive repertory, he was especially valued for his poeti ...

, and went on to study at the

Conservatoire de Nice The Conservatoire Pierre Cochereau à rayonnement régional de Nice (C.R.R. de Nice) is a state-run regional music and dance conservatoire which serves the French city of Nice ( Alpes-Maritimes). It was founded by Adeline Ballet, a pianist, in 1916 ...

and at the Conservatoire de Paris with Pierre Sacan, a student of

Yves Nat Yves Philippe Avit Nat (29 December 1890 – 31 August 1956) was a French pianist and composer. Biography Nat was born in Béziers and showed an early aptitude for both piano and composition. By the age of seven he was allowed to improvise each ...

. He perfected his skills under the advisory of

Jean Hubeau Jean Hubeau (22 June 191719 August 1992) was a French pianist, composer and pedagogue known especially for his recordings of Gabriel Fauré, Robert Schumann and Paul Dukas, which are recognized as benchmark versions. Biography Admitted at th ...

Jean Fassina Jean Fassina (born 9 November 1936) is a French classical pianist born in Algiers. A concertist, direct heir of the great Paderewski piano tradition, Fassina is a recognized teacher who counts a pleiad of French and foreign artists among his stud ...

, Géza Anda, Lili Kraus, and György Sebök.

Career

He has been honored numerous awards in prestigious international competitions, including the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition (1973), the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (1975), the

Viotti International Music Competition The Viotti International Music Competition ( it, Concorso Internazionale di Musica Viotti), named after the Italian composer and violinist Gian (Giovanni) Battista Viotti (1755–1824), is held every year in Vercelli, Piedmont. It was founded by vi ...

, the Rina Sala Gallo International Piano Competition, the Senigallia Competition and the Alfredo Casella Piano Competition in Naples. After that, he started his career as a soloist and as a chamber music player. He performed in the biggest venues of the world's musical capitals such as the

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 ...

, the Salle Pleyel, and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade I l ...

and the Barbican Center in London, the

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

in New York, the Großes Festspielhaus in Salzbourg, the

Tokyo Bunka Kaikan The is a Japanese concert hall located in Ueno Park, Taitō, Tokyo. Designed by Japanese architect Kunio Maekawa, it was built in 1961 and renovated in 1998–99. Its larger hall seats 2303 people, and its small hall seats 649. It is operated b ...

Hall in Tokyo, the Dvorak Hall in Prague, etc. For his debut at

in New York, the New York Times critic praised his "full-bodied, clear, clean and refreshingly unsentimental" playing.

Discography (selected)

* l’Œuvre pour piano de Louis Vierne (Timpani 2C2023) * Franz Liszt: Fantasie et Fugue sur le nom de BACH, etc. (BNL 112748) * Mussorgsky: Tableau d’une exposition, etc. (BNL 112789) * Ludwig van Beethoven: Les 3 dernières sonates, (BNL 112911) * Alkan: La Musique de chamber, Olivier Gardon, Dong-Suk Kang, Yvan Chiffoleau (Timpani 1C1013) * Brahms' Sonata in F minor and Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel (5 Diapasons)

References

External links

Site du conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Paris

Olivier Gardon pianist
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardon, Olivier 1950 births Living people People from Nice 21st-century French male classical pianists Conservatoire de Paris alumni Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition prize-winners Prize-winners of the Queen Elisabeth Competition