Gérard Frémy


Gérard Frémy was a French pianist, composer and percussionist.

Biography

A student with Yves Nat at the Conservatoire de Paris, Frémy ended his studies by winning First prize at 16.
He was designated by Marcel Dupré and the Association française d’action artistique as a Soviet government scholarship holder. For 3 years, he studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow with Heinrich Neuhaus and then rubbed shoulders with Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels etc. Forty concerts in the USSR and recordings for the state radio will punctuate his stay in Russia. He then performed with equal success in most European countries, the United States, Japan... and participated in the biggest festivals. Gérard Frémy was also the spokesman of contemporary music: soloist of the ensembles Ensemble Ars Nova, Musique Vivante, he played with the Stockhausen group in Osaka. Among his favourite composers are Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, Cage. His very extensive repertoire therefore goes from J.S. Bach to John Cage. Gérard Frémy is not only the closest French performer to John Cage's universe, he is considered one of the depositories of the composer's heritage. He is known, in particular, for his interpretation of the Sonatas and Interludes and Music of Changes. Familiar with contemporary creation, he created and gave the first auditions of the most important composers of our time. Among the premieres he made, Société II, Si le piano était un corps de femme, and Luc Ferrari's Und so weiter as well as Stockhausen's Pôle pour deux. Composer Michèle Bokanowski dedicated Pour un pianiste to him. An important part of his career has been devoted to pedagogy since he taught at the Conservatoire de Paris, among others, in piano and chamber music classes. Many of his students have won prizes and distinctions in the most important international competitions. Among his pupils were Cédric Tiberghien,, Nicolas Horvath and Nicolas Stavy.

Some works