JEAN-MARIE FOURNIER

Born in 1945 he obtained his First Prize in Piano in 1963 and First Prize for Chamber Music in 1965 in the class of Jacques February.

He then perfected with Marguerite Long and he worked the pieces by Liszt with Georgy Cziffra, staying for long periods in his house of Cormeil en Parisys.

He then began an international career which led him to play in Europe, the USA and South America, both as a soloist and with orchestra.

In 1968 he passed the very tough BBC piano contest and became a BBC pianist.

In 1975, when he was about to give a recital at the Salle Gaveau, he learned that it would close and be converted into a garage. This idea is unbearable and, with the help of his father, he took over the Salle management and saved it from demolition.

With the help of his wife, partner in music, he produced many concerts and attracted top international soloists: Rostropovich, Argerich, Kremer, Richter, etc.

He proceeds with the Lundis Musicaux de l’Athénée series and has discovered great voices.

Often invited to the jury of international competitions, he had the idea of creating an international piano competition exclusively for finalists of international contests, which took place for the first time in Monaco in 1992 as the Monte Carlo Piano Masters, under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Rainier. The competition extended to voice in 1997 and violin in 2004, and is known as “Prince Rainier III Award.”

In 2000 the Salle Gaveau was closed for restoration as a Historic Monument under the baton of Alain-Charles Perrot.

At the request of the mayor of Menton Jean-Marie Fournier became the artistic director of the Festival of Menton for the 2000 Summer and, in addition to the concerts on the Saint Michel Church yard, he managed to create a space on the Franco-Italian border where he produced great concerts with Jessye Norman, Roberto Alagna and Montserrat Caballé.

In January 2001 the Salle Gaveau reopened with a memorable concert of Roberto Alagna, filmed by France 3.

Jean-Marie Fournier is a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, Officier des Arts et Lettres Français, Commandeur de l’Ordre du Mérite Culturel Monégasque and Chevalier de l’Ordre de St Charles.