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 famous flutist from France and Switzerland. He is known around the world for his amazing flute playing.
Emmanuel was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His family moved a lot when he was young. He became interested in the flute when he was only four years old. He heard a neighbor playing a Mozart flute concerto, and he loved the sound!
He studied music at the Conservatoire de Paris, a famous music school in France. In 1992, when he was 22, he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. This is one of the best orchestras in the world. Emmanuel is very good at playing many different types of music. He plays classical, baroque, jazz, and even modern music. People say he is a "new master flautist" because he is so talented.
Contents
Biography
Emmanuel's Early Life
Emmanuel Pahud's family moved often because of his father's job. This helped Emmanuel learn about different cultures from a young age. When he was just six weeks old, his family moved to Baghdad. A year later, they moved to Paris. Then, in 1972, they moved to Madrid, and in 1974, they settled in Rome for four years.
In Rome, a family called the Binets lived in the same building. Their four children played musical instruments. The father, François Binet, was a flutist. When Emmanuel was four, he heard the oldest Binet son, Philippe, playing Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 1. This music really caught Emmanuel's attention. He told his parents he wanted to play the flute too. For Christmas that year, he got his first flute. He started lessons with Philippe, who was only 15, and then with François Binet.
In 1978, when Emmanuel was eight, his family moved to Brussels, Belgium. He continued his flute studies at the Music Academy of Uccle. From 1984 to 1987, he studied with Carlos Bruneel, a top flutist in Brussels. In 1985, Emmanuel won the National Competition of Belgium. That same year, he played his first concert with the National Orchestra of Belgium. He performed the same Mozart piece that first inspired him! When he was 17, he moved to Paris to finish his schooling. He also took lessons with other great flutists in Europe.
Becoming a Flute Master
Emmanuel Pahud went to the Conservatoire de Paris, a very famous music school. He studied with many excellent teachers there. While he was a student, he won two big music competitions: one in Duino in 1988 and another in Kobe in 1989. These wins helped him become a principal flutist for the Basel Radio Symphony in 1989. He also played as a principal flutist for the Munich Philharmonic.
In 1990, at age 20, Emmanuel graduated from the Conservatoire with the highest honor. He then spent two more years studying with Aurèle Nicolet, a famous Swiss flutist who happened to be his neighbor. Nicolet helped him prepare for two very important events in 1992. First, the Geneva International Music Competition, where Emmanuel won the top prize. Second, an audition for the principal flutist position in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He got the job! Emmanuel says his time with Nicolet was key to his success.
Career
Playing for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Becoming the principal flutist for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) was a huge step for Emmanuel Pahud. It put him in the international spotlight. He was only 22 years old, making him the youngest player in the orchestra at the time. Many older musicians were retiring, so there were a lot of new openings.
Emmanuel described playing with the BPO as a special experience. He said the orchestra creates a beautiful, intense sound. He felt that in the Berlin Philharmonic, musicians work as equals, each with their own voice.
In 2000, Emmanuel took a break for 18 months to teach and perform around the world. He was surprised by how much he missed the BPO. He returned in 2002 under the new conductor, Sir Simon Rattle. Emmanuel says Sir Simon Rattle helps the orchestra explore new music and work together in a unique way. He also noted that while past conductors made a big, smooth sound, Sir Simon Rattle creates a very clear and detailed sound.
The Berlin Philharmonic sees itself as a group of individual soloists who play together. Emmanuel shared the principal flute position with another talented flutist, Mathieu Dufour, until 2022.
Performing Around the World
Emmanuel Pahud's schedule became very busy after he joined the Berlin Philharmonic. In the early days, he played about 50 concerts a year. Now, he plays around 160 concerts a year! This includes about 90 solo or small group concerts and 75 orchestral concerts. This busy schedule keeps him from focusing on just one type of music.
Since 1993, Emmanuel has performed as a soloist with many famous orchestras worldwide. These include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Japan. He also performs regularly at major music festivals in Europe, the United States, and Asia. He has played with the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, where he helped bring back Vivaldi's Flute Concertos.
Emmanuel also loves playing chamber music, which is music for a small group of instruments. He often performs with pianists Éric Le Sage and Stephen Kovacevich. In 1993, he helped start a music festival in France called Le festival de l'Empéri. He calls it a "musical laboratory" where they try new combinations of musicians and music. He wants the festival to be exciting and surprising for the audience.
Musical Styles and Recordings
Emmanuel Pahud says he tries to be like a "chameleon" when he plays music. This means he changes his style, sound, and even how he breathes to fit each piece. He wants to play the music exactly how the composer imagined it. He doesn't stick to one national style but adapts to the music.
He sees himself as a performer, like an actor, rather than a composer. He has even asked modern composers to write new flute concertos for him. He worked with composers from France, Switzerland, and Germany to create new music. He enjoys exploring new ways to play the flute, combining different sounds to make one musical idea.
Even though he loves new music, Emmanuel is also very excited about older, traditional pieces. He believes that mastering an instrument helps musicians find new ways to play both old and new music. He thinks that music interpretation should always mix "tradition and novelty." For him, "tradition" means something that keeps growing and changing, not something stuck in the past.
Emmanuel often talks about "phrasing" in music. This is like how you speak a sentence, putting stress on certain words. In music, it means how the notes are played to create a complete musical idea. He admires how famous flutists like Jean-Pierre Rampal could make their musical phrases seem endless and beautiful.
Emmanuel also enjoys jazz. He started playing jazz after meeting pianist Jacky Terrasson. He looks up to jazz flutists like James Newton and Herbie Mann. He even recorded a jazz album called "Into the Blue" with Jacky Terrasson. He also worked on a soundtrack for a Japanese TV series.
Emmanuel wants his performances to be more than just entertainment. He hopes his audience learns about music and feels different emotions. He wants to connect with people and make them curious to discover more about music.
In 1996, Emmanuel signed a special contract with EMI Classics, a major record company. He was the only flutist in the world with a solo recording contract like that. He has recorded many albums for EMI. He enjoys recording because it makes him focus on every small detail of his playing. He says it's different from a live concert because you don't have the audience's emotional support, so you have to bring even more intensity to the music.
Emmanuel's Flutes
Emmanuel Pahud's first flute was a silver-plated Yamaha. Later, his parents bought him two Muramatsu Flutes. For many years, he played a special 14-karat gold flute from Brannen Brothers in Boston. He also used a special part called a "head joint" from another maker, Dana Sheridan. He chose his flute because it was very flexible and allowed him to express his musical ideas.
He believes that while the instrument is important, the player is even more important. He says, "All the work must be done before the mouth even makes contact with the instrument." This means a lot of practice and control of your body and breath. Since 2012, Emmanuel has played a solid 14-karat Haynes flute.
Personal life
Emmanuel Pahud has two sons, Grégoire and Tristan.
Awards and recognition
Emmanuel Pahud has received many awards for his musical talent:
- 2014: ECHO Klassik, Germany
- March 2013: "Diapason d'Or" magazine, France
- 2013: Nominated for the TV Awards Victoires de la Musique, France
- 2012: Classica Magazine Choc of the Year, France
- 2012: Record Academy Award, Japan
- 2009: Awarded the French Order of Arts and Literature for his contributions to French music.
- 2006: Honored as "Artiste Étoile" at the Lucerne Festival.
- February 1998: Named "Instrumentalist of the Year 1997" at the Victoires de la Musique awards in Paris.
- 1998–99: His album Paris won the Diapason d'Or award.
- 1997–98: His first EMI album, Mozart Flute Concertos, won several awards, including the Diapason "CD of the Year" award and the Japanese Geijutsu Award.
- October 1992: Chosen by Claudio Abbado to be the principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
- September 1992: Won eight special prizes at the Concours de Genève.
- 1989: Won first prize at the Kobe International Flute Competition.
- 1988: Won first prize at the Duino International Music Competition.
- 1988: Won second prize at the International Scheveningen Music Competition.
- 1985: Won first prize at the National Competition of Belgium.
- He also won the Soloists Prize in the Worldwide French-speaking Community Radio Awards.
- He has received four TV-Echo awards in Germany.
- He won the "Ongaku no Tomo" award from Japan.
- He was awarded the European Council's Juventus Prize.
- Emmanuel Pahud is also recognized by the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and UNESCO.
See also
In Spanish: Emmanuel Pahud para niños
