JEAN-PHILIPPE COLLARD

Piano

Jean-Philippe Collard was born in Mareuil-sur-Ay in Champagne. Early expectations were confirmed by his admission to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris at an exceptionally young age. At sixteen he was unanimously awarded the Premier Prix du Conservatoire de Paris and went on to win a number of international prizes including the Grand Prix du Concours International Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud and the Grand Prix du Concours International Cziffra.

He has given numerous performances throughout France, Russia, Japan, Spain, UK, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Australia. He made a remarkable debut in America in a series of concerts with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa, since when he has been invited back regularly each season, especially to work with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia and Montreal Symphony Orchestras.

Jean-Philippe Collard has worked in Great Britain with the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Hallé, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Scottish National, Scottish Chamber, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and all the BBC Orchestras. He has performed many times at British Festivals notably in Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, Bath and the Proms, and has given regular recitals at the Wigmore Hall and in the South Bank’s International Piano Series.

Among the 50 records he has made for EMI (many of which have received international awards), Jean-Philippe Collard has recorded all the Saint-Sa?ns Piano Concertos with André Previn and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the two Ravel Concertos under Lorin Maazel. More recent releases include the Liszt Sonata in B minor, French Melodies with José van Dam, Rachmaninov and Chopin Sonatas for Piano and Cello with Gary Hoffman and a CD of works by Satie (with Pascal Rogé). In Autumn 2004 EMI Classics will release his recording of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 coupled with the Piano Concerto by Pierre Sancan.

Recent engagements include concerto performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra/Dutoit, San Francisco Symphony, Montreal Symphony/Wigglesworth, Bergen Philharmonic, RTVE in Madrid, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre de Monte-Carlo, Netherlands Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony/Wolff, BBC Philharmonic/Sinaisky, BBC Scottish Symphony/Volkov and the Hallé Orchestra.

Jean-Philippe Collard was awarded a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in January 2003.