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François de Larrard is a researcher in civil engineering. He studied civil engineering at École Polytechnique in Paris, the best-ranked engineering university in France (1978-1981); and at École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, where he obtained his Docteur en Génie Civil (1981-1987). He worked as Deputy Scientific Director at Company Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées in Bouguenais (November 2007-August 2011); and Scientific Director at LafargeHolcim LCR in St Quentin Fallavier (September 2011-November 2018).
François de Larrard is also a classical pianist. He studied piano since the age of 5, with various private professors. He studied music at Le CIM Paris (Centre d'Informations Musicales), which was at that time the main jazz training center in Paris. He enjoyed there jazz piano teaching by Michel Précastelli, and was intronised in the school big-band, directed by Roger Guérin. Two years after, he went back to classical piano, and took courses in the Conservatoire du XVII° (Paris). Here he was taught by Catherine Thibon, and received the «Superior level» 1st Prize. Then he moved to another conservatory, Ecole Nationale de Musique de Cachan, where he was taught by Ani Pétrossian (1984-1987). After these few years, he received the «Virtuosity prize with honors» (Prix de virtuosité à l'unanimité et félicitations du jury) in 1987. When he is not working for his laboratory (located in Lyon, eastern France), he pursues a number of activities related to his greater passion: music. He constantly practices and learns new piano pieces, and records some of them.
In parallel with a daily classical piano practice, François de Larrard started playing around as a jazz pianist. He got a national award (Prix spécial du Jury as a piano soloist from the Concours de Jazz de la Défense, Paris, 1982). In 1985, he got an international award, still as a jazz piano soloist, from the International jazz competition of Hoeilhart, Belgium (4th medal). As a jazz pianist, he is fond of modern jazz and improvisation. He had various experiences with several groups, including, the BronXtet quartet with whom he gives regular concerts in the Lyon area.
François de Larrard is also a composer, having more than 100 compositions in his catalogue, including many jazz themes but also various pieces of 'written' music for solo instruments, voice, chamber music and jazz big-bands.
François de Larrard recorded a number of CD's (most of them being self-produced), including some French harpsichord music. |
