Gérard Pesson

Biography

Born on January 17th, 1958, Gérard Pesson studied at the Sorbonne and then at the Paris CNSM, where he studied composition with Ivo Malec, orchestration with Marius Constant and analysis with Betsy Jolas. In 1986, he founded a contemporary music publication entitled Entretemps. From 1990 to 1992 he was resident at the Villa Médicis. Awarded the Toulouse Studium Prize in 1986, the "Opéra autrement" in 1989, he also won the Prince Pierre de Monaco Prize in 1996. Since 1988, Gérard Pesson has primarily composed stage music. His works have been played by numerous ensembles and orchestras both in France and abroad: ensembles Fa, 2e2m, intercontemporain, Itinéraire, Moderna, Recherche, Ictus, Alter Ego, Accroche Note and Erwartung, the National Orchestras of Lyons and Ile-de-France. His opera Forever Valley, commissioned by T&M, with a libretto by Marie Redonnet, was premiered in April 2000 at the Théâtre des Amandiers in Nanterre. His opera Pastorale from L'Astrée by Honoré d'Urfé, was first performed in Stuttgart on May 2006. His piano concerto, Future is a faded song has been premiered by Alexandre Tharaud and Zurich Orchestra directed by Pierre-André Valade on 2012.
On June 2018, he is guest artist at ManiFeste, Ircam Festival, with the concert of 5 of his works by Marion Tassou and l'Instant Donné.