Which musician has influenced you the most?
Coming from classical music, jazz, and film music, I could mention musicians and composers such as Ravel, Debussy, Fauré, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Bartok, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, and many others.
What can you teach me about your instruments different than any other teacher?
I don’t know what I can teach better than other teachers, but I believe that the musical instrument is the physical support that allows us to bring out the music that is inside us.
How did you learn to play your instrument?
I started taking lessons at a conservatory, then moved more towards jazz and improvised music, followed by composition, arrangement, and orchestration for film music.
How do you go about writing a song or composing a piece yourself?
It depends. Sometimes it can start with a melodic or rhythmic idea hummed into my Dictaphone. It can also begin at the piano to build the foundation of the composition, then develop and expand it further. Sometimes, it can start from nothing and be completely improvised. There are no rules.
On what equipment do you play today?
I have a grand piano and an upright piano at home, as well as a Nord Stage EX (stage keyboard), a Roli, a Roland Vsynth, several computer and screens and billions of sounds!
What personal trait has helped you when you practice the most?
I knew quite early that I wanted to make music my profession, so at the age of 17 I started to seriously consider it as a career and began practicing several hours a day. The connection and rapport with the teacher has always been fundamental for me to stay motivated, and I’ve been quite lucky in that regard, meeting very inspiring and motivating people!
What does your instrument have that others don't?
The piano encompasses the entire range of an orchestral symphonic instrument. It is both a melodic, harmonic, and percussive instrument.
What do you pay special attention to when teaching?
It depends on the student’s level. For a young child or even a complete beginner adult, I would first try to teach them to have a good posture, whether with the hands or the body in relation to the instrument. Avoid playing with flat fingers, articulate the fingers and avoid letting them stick to the keys. This is the foundation to later be comfortable and play under good conditions, which will make their interpretation of different pieces easier as we gradually review them.
How do you build up your music lessons?
My lessons can be full piano, full music theory, or a mix of both. I remain open to what the student wants to approach or work on.
What do you do with children?
I try, if possible, to establish a sort of complicity with them to make them feel at ease. I often tell them that it’s perfectly fine to make mistakes, and the more mistakes they make, the more they will progress. Children don’t like failure, and if they struggle with a piece, it can be a source of frustration. I also often remind them to practice slowly and that music is not a race. In other words, if you want to play fast, start by practicing slowly, not the other way around.
What was until now your greatest experience as a musician?
I would say conducting one of my orchestral compositions at the Eastwood Scoring Stage in Los Angeles with an 88-piece orchestra during an orchestral conducting workshop.
What was the largest stage that you've performed on?
I think it was the Zénith in Caen when I accompanied Michaël Gregorio, a French singer and impersonator. I was the substitute pianist for the Guitar/Bass/Drums section that accompanied him during those performances.
Which musician would you like to play with?
I’m not sure, it doesn’t really matter, as long as they enjoy playing with me and I enjoy playing with them. Ok, let’s say Miles Davis!
Which record would you bring to a desert island?
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis because it’s one of the albums I listened to the most during my teenage years when I started getting into jazz, and it brings back good memories, or Spotify :-) because records are getting rare these days.
On which stage do you prefer to perform?
The Jazz/Funk/Contemporary Music scene.
After music, what is important in your life?
My Family, being happy, learning new things.
