Philippe Entremont facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philippe Entremont
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Philippe Entremont (2008)
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| Born | 7 June 1934 |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | classical pianist, conductor |
| Known for | founder, Santo Domingo Music Festival |
Philippe Entremont (born 7 June 1934) is a famous French classical pianist and conductor. He is well-known for his many recordings as a pianist. These include concertos by great composers like Tchaikovsky, Maurice Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Saint-Saëns.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Philippe Entremont was born in Reims, France. His parents were both very musical. His mother was a talented pianist, and his father was an opera conductor.
Philippe started learning piano from his mother when he was just six years old. His father helped him discover the exciting world of chamber music and orchestral music.
Studying in Paris
He later studied music in Paris with a famous teacher named Marguerite Long. He then joined the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris. He won several awards there at a young age.
He won a prize for sight-reading music at age 12. At 14, he won an award for chamber music. By 15, he won a top prize for piano. At 16, he became a "Laureat" at the international Long-Thibaud Competition.
A Career in Music
Philippe Entremont began his serious concert career in 1952. He won a prize at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition that year. Within five years, he was recognized as a major new talent in European piano playing.
Tours and Famous Recordings
He gained more fame by touring in South America and the United States. These tours were organized in 1953 and 1955. In 1954, conductor Eugene Ormandy heard him play. Ormandy immediately asked him to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra. His debut with them happened in November 1956.
His early recordings with Ormandy were very exciting. These included Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. His recording of Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto with Leonard Bernstein was also highly praised. He also recorded Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Bernstein.
Entremont also recorded Rachmaninoff's First and Fourth Concertos. He performed these with Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. His recordings of Saint-Saëns' Concertos Nos. 2 and 4 with Ormandy are also well-known.
Conducting and Leading Orchestras
In 1968, Entremont started performing as both a pianist and a conductor. He would direct the orchestra while playing the piano. He recorded Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 13 and 17 this way. He conducted the Collegium Musicum of Paris for these recordings.
He was the Director of the New Orleans Symphony from 1980 to 1986. He also led the Denver Symphony Orchestra as principal conductor from 1986 to 1988. Then he became their music director from 1988 to 1989.
Entremont has also been the chief conductor of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. He is now their Conductor Laureate, which means he holds an honorary title. He has the same title with the Israel Chamber Orchestra.
Judging Competitions and Festivals
Philippe Entremont has served as a judge for many important piano competitions. He was a juror for the Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition several times. He also judged the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2010 and 2015.
In 1997, Entremont founded the Biennial Santo Domingo Music Festival. This is a music festival that happens every two years. Since 2002, he has been a main guest conductor for China's Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra.
During the 2005–2006 season, Entremont led the Munich Symphony Orchestra. He performed as both conductor and pianist for their first U.S. tour. In September 2007, Entremont returned to New Orleans. He played as a soloist to open the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's season. He performed Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.
