Emmanuel Pahud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emmanuel Pahud
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Pahud in 2019
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| Background information | |
| Born | 27 January 1970 Geneva, Switzerland |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Flute |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | EMI Classics |
Emmanuel Pahud (born January 27, 1970) is a world-famous French and Swiss flautist, which is a person who plays the flute. He is known for his amazing talent in playing both old baroque and classical styles, but he also plays jazz and modern music.
Pahud was born in Geneva, Switzerland, to a family that wasn't musical. He became one of the top flautists in the world after joining the famous Berlin Philharmonic orchestra in 1992. He is known for being able to play many different kinds of music, from classical and orchestral music to jazz and chamber music.
Contents
How It All Began
A Childhood Filled with Music
Even though his parents weren't musicians, music found Emmanuel Pahud at a very young age. His father's job meant the family moved around a lot, living in places like Baghdad, Paris, and Madrid. When he was four years old, his family settled in Rome, Italy.
In their apartment building lived another family whose children all played instruments. Pahud was fascinated by the sound of the flute played by the oldest son, Philippe. He heard Philippe practicing Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 1 and immediately knew what he wanted to do. He told his parents, "I want to play the flute, I want to play the Mozart concerto that guy next door is practicing."
That Christmas, he got his first flute. He started taking lessons from Philippe and his father, François. This was the beginning of his incredible journey as a musician.
Studying with the Best
When Pahud's family moved to Brussels, Belgium, he continued his music studies. He became very focused and started learning from Carlos Bruneel, the principal flautist of a major opera house. By 1985, at just 15 years old, he won the National Competition of Belgium. He even performed his first concert with the National Orchestra of Belgium, playing the same Mozart concerto that had inspired him as a child.
After finishing high school, Pahud went to the famous Conservatoire de Paris in France to study with some of the best flute teachers. While he was a student, he won several major international music competitions. These wins helped him get his first big job in 1989 as the principal flautist for the Basel Radio Symphony in Switzerland.
He graduated from the Conservatoire in 1990 at age 20 with the highest prize. He then spent two more years studying with Aurèle Nicolet, one of the greatest flautists of the time. Nicolet helped him prepare for the audition that would change his life.
A Career Takes Flight
Joining the Berlin Philharmonic
In 1992, at the age of 22, Pahud was chosen by conductor Claudio Abbado to be the principal flautist for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This is one of the best and most famous orchestras in the world. Getting this position made him an international star.
Pahud was the youngest musician in the orchestra at the time. He loved the way the orchestra played together, creating beautiful and powerful music. He said playing with them was very different from other orchestras because every musician worked as an equal, with their own individual voice.
He took a break from the orchestra in 2000 to teach and perform solo concerts. However, he missed playing with the orchestra so much that he returned in 2002.
Performing Around the World
Besides playing with the Berlin Philharmonic, Pahud has a busy solo career. He performs about 160 concerts a year all over the world. He has played as a soloist with many famous orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Japan.
He is also very passionate about chamber music, which is music played by a small group of musicians. In 1993, he started a music festival in France called Le festival de l'Empéri with his friends, pianist Éric Le Sage and clarinetist Paul Meyer. The festival is like a "musical laboratory" where they try out new ideas and create exciting performances.
Musical Style and Recordings
Pahud is like a musical chameleon. He changes his style, sound, and phrasing to match the music he is playing, whether it's from the Baroque period, classical, or modern. He has even explored jazz, working with jazz pianist Jacky Terrasson on an album called Into the Blue.
He enjoys commissioning new music, which means he asks composers to write new pieces for the flute. He has performed the world premieres of concertos by composers like Elliott Carter and Marc-André Dalbavie. He believes that playing new music helps him understand and perform the classic pieces better.
In 1996, he signed an exclusive contract with EMI Classics, a major record label. This was a huge achievement, as he was the only flautist in the world with such a contract. He has made over 20 albums for EMI, sharing his incredible talent with listeners everywhere.
His Instrument
Pahud's first flute was a silver-plated Yamaha. Today, he plays a special flute made of solid 14-karat gold. He bought his first golden flute in 1989 with money he won from competitions. He believes that while the instrument is important, the real magic comes from the musician. He says, "All the work must be done before the mouth even makes contact with the instrument."
Awards and Achievements
Throughout his career, Emmanuel Pahud has won many awards. Here are some of his major achievements:
- He won first prize at important international competitions in Kobe, Japan (1989) and Duino, Italy (1988).
- In 1992, he won eight special prizes at the prestigious Concours de Genève in Switzerland.
- He was named "Instrumentalist of the Year" at the Victoires de la Musique awards in Paris in 1998.
- Many of his recordings have won awards, including the Diapason d'Or in France.
- In 2009, he was awarded the French Order of Arts and Literature for his contributions to music.
See also
In Spanish: Emmanuel Pahud para niños
