Alain Marion
Encyclopedia
Alain Marion was a French
flutist, and considered one of the world's best flute
players of the late twentieth century.
on Christmas Day 1938. He studied at the Marseille Conservatoire under renowned flutist Joseph Rampal
, and gained the award premier prix de flûte when he was only 14. He later studied with Rampal at the Conservatoire de Paris
(where he eventually became a professor), and gained fame after winning a prize at the Geneva International Music Competition
.
In 1964, the French national broadcaster Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
appointed Marion as first flutist, and later to the Orchestre de Paris
. In 1972 he became a soloist for the Orchestre National de France
. He joined the chamber orchestra Ensemble InterContemporain
in 1977, working with Pierre Boulez
.
He taught every summer at the Académie internationale d'été in Nice
, becoming director in 1986. His stature was able to attract some of the world's best musicians to the organisation as teachers, including Jean-Pierre Rampal
, Jessye Norman
and Henryk Szeryng
.
Marion played a gold flute, made by the Sankyo Flute Company
of Japan, and encompassed a wide variety of different musical styles. However he expressed a special admiration for the great baroque
flutist-composers, as well as for the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů
.
Marion died of a heart attack
while on tour in Seoul
, South Korea
, aged 59.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
flutist, and considered one of the world's best flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
players of the late twentieth century.
Biography
Marion was born in MarseilleMarseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
on Christmas Day 1938. He studied at the Marseille Conservatoire under renowned flutist Joseph Rampal
Joseph Rampal
Joseph Rampal was a distinguished flutist in his own right, albeit better known as the father of the internationally renowned soloist Jean-Pierre Rampal.- Graduate of the French Flute School :...
, and gained the award premier prix de flûte when he was only 14. He later studied with Rampal at the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
(where he eventually became a professor), and gained fame after winning a prize at the Geneva International Music Competition
Geneva International Music Competition
The Geneva International Music Competition is a music competitions held in Geneva, founded in 1939 in the Geneva Conservatory for a wide variety of instruments, voice, conducting, and chamber music.-See also:* List of classical music competitions* World Federation of International Music...
.
In 1964, the French national broadcaster Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the French national public broadcasting organization established on 9 February 1949 to replace the post-war "Radiodiffusion Française" , which had been founded in 1945...
appointed Marion as first flutist, and later to the Orchestre de Paris
Orchestre de Paris
The Orchestre de Paris is a French orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra performs most of its concerts at the Salle Pleyel.-History:In 1967, following the dissolution of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conductor Charles Munch was called on by the Minister of Culture,...
. In 1972 he became a soloist for the Orchestre National de France
Orchestre National de France
The Orchestre national de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. It has also been known as the Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion française and Orchestre national de l'Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française .Since 1944, the orchestra has been based in the Théâtre...
. He joined the chamber orchestra Ensemble InterContemporain
Ensemble InterContemporain
The Ensemble InterContemporain is a French chamber orchestra, based in Paris at the Cité de la musique and IRCAM, which specialises in contemporary classical music....
in 1977, working with Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez is a French composer of contemporary classical music, a pianist, and a conductor.-Early years:Boulez was born in Montbrison, Loire, France. As a child he began piano lessons and demonstrated aptitude in both music and mathematics...
.
He taught every summer at the Académie internationale d'été in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, becoming director in 1986. His stature was able to attract some of the world's best musicians to the organisation as teachers, including Jean-Pierre Rampal
Jean-Pierre Rampal
Jean-Pierre Louis Rampal was a French flautist. He has been personally "credited with returning to the flute the popularity as a solo classical instrument it had not held since the 18th century."-Early years:...
, Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
and Henryk Szeryng
Henryk Szeryng
Henryk Szeryng was a Polish violinist.-Early years:He was born in Żelazowa Wola, Poland on 22 September 1918 into a wealthy family....
.
Marion played a gold flute, made by the Sankyo Flute Company
Sankyo Flute Company
Sankyo Flute Manufacturing Co., Ltd, located in Sayama, Japan, produces hand-made flutes, piccolos and head joints at the professional level. A number of prominent flautists, such as Walter Auer of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, John Curran of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, and...
of Japan, and encompassed a wide variety of different musical styles. However he expressed a special admiration for the great baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
flutist-composers, as well as for the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů
Bohuslav Martinu
Bohuslav Martinů was a prolific Czech composer of modern classical music. He was of Czech and Rumanian ancestry. Martinů wrote six symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. Martinů became a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic...
.
Marion died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while on tour in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, aged 59.
External links
- Photographs of Alain Marion at the Académie Internationale d'Eté in Nice, 1968, 1970 & 1974