About this Artist
Trained at a very high level in the classical domain (First Prize for Violin from the Conservatoire of Saint-Quentin in 1971, First Prize from the International Music University of Paris), PIERRE BLANCHARD was quickly tempted by the adventure of improvisation in the mid 1970s. During this time he began to play as a sideman with his elders such as The Swing String System of Didier Levallet, the Jacques Thollot Quintet, and the Big Band of Martial Solal. In 1984 he received from Stephane Grappelli a prize whose goal is to present to the public the most talented artists from the French school of the jazz violin. A composer and soloist who can be lyrical as well as unpredictable, Blanchard has deliberately chosen an open approach to music. Traditionally oriented, Blanchard’s compositions are the product of an original musical language that laces jazz with the richness of classical harmony and the resonance of a string quartet. Each year since 1992 Pierre Blanchard has taught a jazz class for string instruments, as well as numerous jazz workshops for string instruments. These are frequented by musicians from Europe, the USA, and Japan. Pierre Blanchard’s goal is to offer to all forms of jazz a permanent and competent string orchestra, breaking with the American concept of strings as background support.