David Fray
Encyclopedia
David Fray is a French
classical
pianist
. Voted "Newcomer of the Year 2008" by the BBC Music Magazine, Fray has gained attention for his musical interpretation as well as his eccentricities in performance and rehearsal, which were highlighted in the 2008 ARTE
documentary about him titled "Swing, Sing and Think".
, near the Pyrenees
. Both his parents are teachers, his father teaching philosophy and his mother German.
Fray entered the classical music world after receiving the Second Grand Prize at the Montreal International Music Competition in 2004. After this acclaim he released "Schubert, Liszt", a CD compilation of works by the two composers, under the ATMA Classique
label. More recently, he has done video recordings of piano concertos by J.S. Bach
with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, as well as Schubert's
Wanderer Fantasy
during the Festival of La Roque d'Anthérnon. In 2008 he released a second CD, "Bach / Boulez Piano Recital", which was another compilation of two composers from separate musical periods. He has performed with many established conductors such as John Axelrod
, Kurt Masur
, Jaap van Zweden
and Christoph Eschenbach
.
Fray has won a number of awards, including the "Révélation Classique" (Classical Discovery) from ADAMI
, the "Jeune Soliste de l'Année" (Young Soloist of the Year) from the French Language Public Radio Coalition, and the Diploma for Outstanding Merit from the Hamamatsu Competition.
In July 2008, he married actress Chiara Muti, daughter of conductor Riccardo Muti
.
, Fray has been compared to pianist Glenn Gould
. As seen in the ARTE documentary, he rehearses with excitement and playfulness, bobbing his eyebrows, humming along with the German orchestra, bending low over the piano, repeatedly joking with his fellow musicians, and even conducting himself with one hand, in Gould's signature style.
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...
classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. Voted "Newcomer of the Year 2008" by the BBC Music Magazine, Fray has gained attention for his musical interpretation as well as his eccentricities in performance and rehearsal, which were highlighted in the 2008 ARTE
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
documentary about him titled "Swing, Sing and Think".
Biography
David Fray was born in TarbesTarbes
Tarbes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.It is part of the historical region of Gascony. It is the second largest metropolitan area of Midi-Pyrénées, with 110,000 inhabitants....
, near the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. Both his parents are teachers, his father teaching philosophy and his mother German.
Fray entered the classical music world after receiving the Second Grand Prize at the Montreal International Music Competition in 2004. After this acclaim he released "Schubert, Liszt", a CD compilation of works by the two composers, under the ATMA Classique
ATMA Classique
ATMA Classique is a Canadian record label based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1995, the company has over 300 titles in its catalogue and distributes in over 25 countries and on the internet. Several recordings released by the company have won Juno and Felix Awards....
label. More recently, he has done video recordings of piano concertos by J.S. Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, as well as Schubert's
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
Wanderer Fantasy
Wanderer Fantasy
The Fantasie in C major, Op. 15 , popularly known as the Wanderer Fantasy, is a four-movement fantasy for solo piano composed by Franz Schubert in November 1822. It is considered Schubert's most technically demanding composition for the piano...
during the Festival of La Roque d'Anthérnon. In 2008 he released a second CD, "Bach / Boulez Piano Recital", which was another compilation of two composers from separate musical periods. He has performed with many established conductors such as John Axelrod
John Axelrod
John Neal Axelrod is an American conductor. Axelrod is currently Conductor and Music Director of l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, based in Nantes and Angers, France; and, from the 2011/12 season the Principal Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica "Giuseppe Verdi" also known as "laVerdi"...
, Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur is a German conductor, particularly noted for his interpretation of German Romantic music.- Biography :Masur was born in Brieg, Lower Silesia, Germany and studied piano, composition and conducting in Leipzig, Saxony. Masur has been married three times...
, Jaap van Zweden
Jaap van Zweden
Jaap van Zweden is a Dutch conductor and violinist.-Biography:Van Zweden's father, a pianist, encouraged him to begin violin studies at age five, and he studied music in Amsterdam...
and Christoph Eschenbach
Christoph Eschenbach
Christoph Eschenbach , born February 20, 1940, Breslau, Germany is a German-born pianist and conductor. He currently holds positions in Washington, D.C. as music director of the National Symphony Orchestra and music director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.-Early...
.
Fray has won a number of awards, including the "Révélation Classique" (Classical Discovery) from ADAMI
Adami
Adami may refer to:* Adami, a town in the Bible A person with the surname Adami, a list that includes:* Guy Adami, TV personality, one of the Fast Money five* Adam Adami, Adami may refer to:* Adami, a town in the Bible (or Adami-nekeb)A person with the surname Adami, a list that includes:* Guy...
, the "Jeune Soliste de l'Année" (Young Soloist of the Year) from the French Language Public Radio Coalition, and the Diploma for Outstanding Merit from the Hamamatsu Competition.
In July 2008, he married actress Chiara Muti, daughter of conductor Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
.
Playing style
Thanks to his antics at the piano, his relatively young age, and his recent focus on BachBạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, Fray has been compared to pianist Glenn Gould
Glenn Gould
Glenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
. As seen in the ARTE documentary, he rehearses with excitement and playfulness, bobbing his eyebrows, humming along with the German orchestra, bending low over the piano, repeatedly joking with his fellow musicians, and even conducting himself with one hand, in Gould's signature style.
Recordings
- Schubert: Fantasia in C Major/Lieder Transcriptions/Sonata / David Fray (Atma 2006)
- Bach: Partita in D major; French Suite BWV 812 in B minor / Boulez: Douze Notations pour piano; "Incises" / David Fray (Virgin Classics 2007)
- Bach: Keyboard Concertos BWV 1052, 1055, 1056 & 1058 / David Fray, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen (Virgin Classics 2008)
- Swing, Sing & Think. David Fray Records J.S. Bach / A film by Bruno MonsaingeonBruno MonsaingeonBruno Monsaingeon is a French filmmaker, writer, and violinist. He has made a number of documentary films about great twentieth-century musicians, including Glenn Gould, Sviatoslav Richter, David Oistrakh, Piotr Anderszewski and Yehudi Menuhin. His interviews with Richter and with Nadia Boulanger...
(Virgin Classics DVD 2008) - Schubert: Impromptus Op.90, Moments Musicaux, Allegretto in C minor / David Fray (Virgin Classics 2009)
- Mozart: Piano Concertos 22 & 25 / David Fray, Philharmonie Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden (Virgin Classics 2010)