George Letellier
Encyclopedia
George Letellier is an American
jazz pianist and composer, currently living in Luxembourg
.
in Boston
in 1975, in 1976 he wrote his first compositions and arrangements and began as a session pianist for artists such as Phil Woods
, Gary Burton
, and Steve Swallow
. After returning to Berklee in 1983 and graduating finally in 1985 with a Superior Prix in Film Music Composition, he moved to San Francisco, California and from 1986 until 1990 worked as a freelance pianist in the jazz and salsa genre. His successful session work attracted film executives and he was hired to compose music for films and corporate videos. In 1987 he served as a music editor on the Academy Award nominated short film Liru, and in1988 in Oakland, California
, established a film production company where he worked not only as a composer but producer.
In 1991, Letellier moved to Portugal
, accepting a job offer as a Professor of Composition in Porto
. There he composed two ballets and was a session musician, supporting acts such as the chamber music ensemble Novanguarde, and the Raul Marques E Os Amigos Da Salsa ensemble. In 1992, Letellier collaborated with saxophonist Mario Santos
and formed the successful George Letellier Quartet which toured all across Portugal.
In 1995, Letellier relocated to Luxembourg and began working for such institutions such as the BCEE; Paul Wurth Corporation; Tango Television; Big Band Spectrum; Opus 78 Big Band, as well as his session work and private lessons. With the Opus 78 Big Band, he collaborated with the Luxembourgian composer Paul Dahm
, arranging the tunes of Frank Sinatra
and turning them into philharmonic ensembles .
From 1997 until 2003, Letellier served as was the Director of Jazz Studies at the Esch Conservatoire and wrote three publications on jazz theory between 1997 and 1999. In 1997, he formed the original Consabora Salsa Orchestra with Harri Jokiharra, and they later became known as Salsabor. In 2001 he worked with Sascha Ley
to arrange and perform Lost In The Stars
by Kurt Weill
, putting on a number of performances including at the Luxembourg Embassy in Berlin
in September 2003.
Since 2001, Letellier has taught jazz at L'Ecole de Musique in Echternach
. He continues to function as a session pianist, and has performed in hundreds of jazz concerts and theatrical productions in Luxembourg, the United States, Portugal, Spain, Germany and France. Aside from his jazz compositions he has also composed contemporary and traditional classical chamber music and arrangements for a diversity of musical ensembles.
In 2002, George Letellier co-composed the musical "Alice Unter Ground" MASKéNADA
In 2007 he performed at the Indigo Jazz and Blues Festival
in Bangalore
, supporting Sascha Ley in a band composed of himself on keyboards, Marc Demuth on acoustic bass, Johannes Müller on soprano / tenor sax, Anne Kaftan on soprano sax and bass clarinet and Benoît Martiny on drums.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz pianist and composer, currently living in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
Biography
After attending the Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 1975, in 1976 he wrote his first compositions and arrangements and began as a session pianist for artists such as Phil Woods
Phil Woods
Philip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
, Gary Burton
Gary Burton
Gary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist.A true original on the vibraphone, Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. This approach caused Burton to be heralded as an innovator and his sound and technique are widely imitated...
, and Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow is a jazz double bass and bass guitarist and composer born in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.One of the leading bassists in jazz, Swallow is noted for collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton and Carla Bley...
. After returning to Berklee in 1983 and graduating finally in 1985 with a Superior Prix in Film Music Composition, he moved to San Francisco, California and from 1986 until 1990 worked as a freelance pianist in the jazz and salsa genre. His successful session work attracted film executives and he was hired to compose music for films and corporate videos. In 1987 he served as a music editor on the Academy Award nominated short film Liru, and in1988 in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, established a film production company where he worked not only as a composer but producer.
In 1991, Letellier moved to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, accepting a job offer as a Professor of Composition in Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
. There he composed two ballets and was a session musician, supporting acts such as the chamber music ensemble Novanguarde, and the Raul Marques E Os Amigos Da Salsa ensemble. In 1992, Letellier collaborated with saxophonist Mario Santos
Mario Santos
Mario Jorge Santos is a former public official in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was a prominent member of the Winnipeg School Board from 1982 to 2002, and has sought election to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba on two occasions....
and formed the successful George Letellier Quartet which toured all across Portugal.
In 1995, Letellier relocated to Luxembourg and began working for such institutions such as the BCEE; Paul Wurth Corporation; Tango Television; Big Band Spectrum; Opus 78 Big Band, as well as his session work and private lessons. With the Opus 78 Big Band, he collaborated with the Luxembourgian composer Paul Dahm
Paul Dahm
Paul J. Dahm is a Luxembourgian composer. He is best known for his arrangement of Mozart's three sonatas. Along with the American jazz pianist George Letellier, Dahm has also arranged the tunes of Frank Sinatra and the big band era and turned them into philharmonic ensembles with Opus...
, arranging the tunes of Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and turning them into philharmonic ensembles .
From 1997 until 2003, Letellier served as was the Director of Jazz Studies at the Esch Conservatoire and wrote three publications on jazz theory between 1997 and 1999. In 1997, he formed the original Consabora Salsa Orchestra with Harri Jokiharra, and they later became known as Salsabor. In 2001 he worked with Sascha Ley
Sascha Ley
Sascha Ley is a Luxembourgian singer, song-writer, composer and actress, best known for her work in the jazz genre, and with the Travelling Light Band....
to arrange and perform Lost In The Stars
Lost in the Stars
Lost in the Stars is a musical with book and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson and music by Kurt Weill, based on the novel Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton...
by Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
, putting on a number of performances including at the Luxembourg Embassy in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in September 2003.
Since 2001, Letellier has taught jazz at L'Ecole de Musique in Echternach
Echternach
Echternach is a commune with city status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg....
. He continues to function as a session pianist, and has performed in hundreds of jazz concerts and theatrical productions in Luxembourg, the United States, Portugal, Spain, Germany and France. Aside from his jazz compositions he has also composed contemporary and traditional classical chamber music and arrangements for a diversity of musical ensembles.
In 2002, George Letellier co-composed the musical "Alice Unter Ground" MASKéNADA
In 2007 he performed at the Indigo Jazz and Blues Festival
Indigo Jazz and Blues Festival
Indigo Jazz and Blues Festival is an international jazz and blues festival held in Bangalore, India. Held in December, the festival attracts musicians from all over the world. It is organized by Radio Indigo....
in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, supporting Sascha Ley in a band composed of himself on keyboards, Marc Demuth on acoustic bass, Johannes Müller on soprano / tenor sax, Anne Kaftan on soprano sax and bass clarinet and Benoît Martiny on drums.