Alain Lefèvre

Alain Lefèvre, (born July 23, 1962) is a French Canadian pianist and composer.
In 2009, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011.
Hailed as a "hero" (Los Angeles Times), a "smashing" performer (Washington Post), "a pianist who breaks the mold" (International Piano) and "who stands out from the typical trends and artifices offered on the international scene" (Classica), Lefèvre has performed in over forty countries to the most prestigious venues (Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Théatre des Champs-Élysées, Théatre du Châtelet, Salle Pleyel, Teatro Colón, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Herodes Atticus Theatre, Epidaurus Theatre…) and participated to numerous international festivals (Ravinia, Saratoga, Wolf Trap, Athènes, Istanbul, Cervantino…).
His performances have been described as "unequaled" (Westdeutsche Zeitung) and "unparalleled" (Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee). Saluted for his "phenomenal technique"
(The Spectator), his « sparkling playing resulting in fascinating interpretations » (Kölner Stadt Anzeiger), his "sovereign mastery" (Hamburger Abendblatt), Lefèvre has been guest soloist of great orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, National Symphony, the China Philharmonic, the SWR, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, the Moscow Virtuosi, (…) and has collaborated with renowned conductors such as James Conlon, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, JoAnn Falletta, Claus Peter Flor, Lawrence Foster, Jacek Kaspszyk, Jacques Lacombe, Kent Nagano, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Vladimir Spivakov and Yu Long.
Since the beginning of his career, Lefèvre has included, commissioned and battled for the music of our time. Alexander Brott, Walter Boudreau, John Corigliano, François Dompierre, Pierre-Max Dubois, Henri Dutilleux, Alain Payette are but a few of the composers he has added to his core répertoire. Alain Lefèvre has also championed the music of the forgotten genius, composer and pianist André Mathieu, called the "Canadian Mozart". He was music director, composer, and pianist for the 2010 motion picture L'Enfant prodige, a film based on André Mathieu's life, produced by Denise Robert (Cinémaginaire).
His discography covers a vast repertoire, from John Corigliano's Piano Concerto, considered to be the reference version by BBC Music Magazine, to Chopin's 24 Preludes, where the critic "celebrates Alain Lefèvre", placing him along with the recordings of the "illustrious" Alicia de Larrocha, Ivan Moravec and Arthur Rubinstein (Fanfare).
Lefèvre has won numerous prizes, amongst them a JUNO, an Opus, ten Felix (ADISQ) and the AIB Award (London), for "International personality of the year – Radio", saluting his radio program broadcast on ICI Musique/Radio-Canada. He is Officer to the Order of Canada, Chevalier of the National Order of Quebec, Chevalier of the Pléiade Order and recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Discography
Corigliano
Concerto for piano (KOCH International Classics), 1994, KIC-3-7250-2 H1
Alain Lefèvre, Carl St-Clair, Pacific Symphony Orchestra
Fandango
Alain Lefèvre (KOCH International Classics), 1996, KIC-CD-7389
Rameau, Scarlatti, Soler (piano)
Ballades
Alain Lefèvre (KOCH International Classics), 1996, KIC-3-7411-2
Brahms, Chopin (piano)
Le Secret
Alain Lefèvre, Gino Quilico (KOCH International Classics), 1997, KIC-CD-7412
Duparc, Fauré, Hahn, Payette (baryton, piano)
Confidences Poétiques
Alain Lefèvre (KOCH International Classics), 1998, KIC-3-7434-2H1 Alain Payette
Cadenza
Alain Lefèvre (CBC Records), 1999, MVCD 1129
Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Satie, Schubert (piano)
Lylatov
Alain Lefèvre (Audiogram), 1999, ADCD 10131
Champagne, Ginastera, Lefèvre, Mathieu, Rodgers & Hart, Sancan, Satie (piano)
Carnet de notes
Alain Lefèvre (piano), (Audiogram), original works by Alain Lefèvre, 2002, ADCD 10156
Mozart
Concerto for piano, No. 23, k. 488, 1999, Réédition, 2002, CBC Records SMCD 5220
Alain Lefèvre, Jean-François Rivest, Orchestre Symphonique de Laval
Rachmaninov & Moussorgsky
Alain Lefèvre (Analekta), 2001, FL 2 3122
Moments musicaux, Tableaux d'une Exposition (piano)
Liszt : Transcriptions oeuvres de Bach et Wagner
Alain Lefèvre, (Analekta), 2002, FL 2 3179
Concertos: Gershwin, Addinsell, Mathieu
Alain Lefèvre, Yoav Talmi, Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, (Analekta), 2003, AN 2 9814
Hommage à Mathieu
André Mathieu (composer), Alain Lefèvre, (Analekta), 2005, AN 2 9275
Fidèles Insomnies – Blissfully Sleepless
Alain Lefèvre (piano), original works by Alain Lefèvre, 2006, AN 2 9276
Rhapsodies : Mathieu, Rachmaninov, Gershwin
Alain Lefèvre, Matthias Bamert, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, (Analekta), 2006, AN 2 9277
Selected Works: Mathieu, Liszt, Moussorgski, Rachmaninov, Addinsell, Boudreau
Alain Lefèvre, (Analekta), 2007, AN 2 928
Montreal Variations – Montreal Jazz Club Session 3
Alain Lefèvre (and others), (Analekta), 2007, AN 2 8833
Effusions
Alain Lefèvre piano, Diane Dufresne voice
(Disques Présence), 2007, PRESCD – 7116
Schubert, Rachmaninov, Dreï Klavierstück, Nine Études-Tableaux
Alain Lefèvre (Analekta), 2008, AN 2 9279
Concerto No. 4, Mathieu
Alain Lefèvre, George Hanson, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, (Analekta), 2008, AN 2 9281
Franck, Lekeu – Sonatas / Mathieu – Ballade Fantaisie
Alain Lefèvre piano, David Lefèvre violin, (Analekta), 2009, AN 2 9282
Concertino & Concertos – Mathieu, Shostakovich, Mendelssohn
Alain Lefèvre, David Lefèvre (violin), Paul Archibald (trumpeter), London Mozart Players
(Analekta), 2009, AN 2 9283
Jardin d'Images
Alain Lefèvre (piano), original works by (Analekta), 2009, AN 2 9279
L'Enfant prodige – The Child Prodigy
André Mathieu (composer), Alain Lefèvre (piano)
(Analekta), 2010, AN 2 9284-5
Mon Coffret Radio-Canada – Boxset of 4 CD
New release of Fandango, Ballades, Confidences Poétiques, Cadenza (1996-1999)
Alain Lefèvre (piano), (Radio-Canada) 2010, SRCCD4 -2366
Chausson – Concert
Alain Lefèvre (piano), David Lefèvre (violin), Quatuor Alcan
(Analekta), 2011, AN 29286
Petit Noël (Christmas songs)
Alain Lefèvre (piano), Quatuor Philippe Dunnigan
(Analekta), 2011, AN 29289
François Dompierre, 24 Preludes
Alain Lefèvre, (piano)
(Analekta), 2012, AN 2 9292- 3
Rachmaninov & Scriabine
Alain Lefèvre, Kent Nagano, Montreal Symphony Orchestra
(Analekta), 2012, AN 2 9288
Chopin, 24 Preludes
Alain Lefèvre, (piano)
(Analekta), 2014, AN 2 9287
Rive Gauche
Alain Lefèvre (piano), original works
(Analekta), Release date 17 March 2015
Rachmaninov & Haydn & Ravel
Alain Lefèvre, (piano)
(Analekta), 2015, AN 2 9296
Sas Agapo
Alain Lefèvre (piano), original works
(Analekta), Release date, October 2016, AN 2 9297
References
External links
Official website
Alain Lefèvre biography on audiogram.com
1962 births
Living people
People from Poitiers
Officers of the Order of Canada
Knights of the National Order of Quebec
Canadian composers
Canadian male composers
Canadian classical pianists
Male classical pianists
Musicians from Quebec
CBC Radio hosts
Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment winners
Canadian male pianists
21st-century classical pianists
21st-century Canadian male musicians