Pierre Jamet (April 21, 1893 in Orléans - June 17, 1991 in Gargilesse-Dampierre) is considered to be one of the greatest French Harp Virtuosos and teachers. He studied music with his mother beginning at the age of ten, learning the piano and then the chromatic harp. In 1906, he entered the Paris Conservatory in the class of Madame Tassu-Sponecer. He then switched from the chromatique harp (Pleyel) to the Pedal Harp (Erard) with Alphonse Hasselmans. This teacher imposed a very severe discipline and Pierre Jamet had a great admiration for Hasselmans. He won his First Prize in 1912. In 1913, he was named to the Theatre des Champs-Ellysées, in the Orchestra under the direction of Inghelbrecht. From 1917, he began working as a soloist. Claude Debussy wanted to hear his newly composed Sonate for Flute, Viola and Harp, written for the Erard Harp. He encouraged Pierre Jamet to put the work together and the World première took place on March 9, 1917. In 1920, Pierre Jamet was named harpist to the Concerts Lamoureux and two years later, he made his recital debut in Paris. This year also marked the creation of the Instrumental Quintet of Paris which would become the Pierre Jamet Quintet in 1945 (Flute, string trio and harp) for which many composers (Jean Françaix, Germaine Tailleferre, to name only two) wrote works. Between 1922 and 1940, he lead a worldwide career as a soloist and chambrist throughout the World (soliste et musique de chambre) . He was the professor of Harp at the Paris National Conservatory from 1948 to 1963 and founded, in 1962 International Association of Harpists and Friends of the Harp and served as the President of this association. He enjoyed teaching and because of his work, the French school of harp playing continues to be practiced through the School of Harp he founded in 1964Il aime enseigner et grâce à lui, la musique française pour harpe garde son rayonnement à travers l'école de harpe qu'il a fondé en 1964 (the Summer Harp Academy of Gargilesse), the Festival de Gargilesse which takes place each Summer since 1968 and the International Harp Competition founded by Pierre Jamet in 1977 (Concours Marie-Antoinette Cazala) which took place trienially until 1991. Pierre Jamet commissioned and gave the first performances of many works, especially for his instrumental quintet. His Daughter, Marie-Claire Jamet, who was also professor at the Paris National Conservatory in 1984 and Soloist for the Ensemble Inter contemporain, as well as his numerous students continue the artistic work of Pierre Jamet. Among the Internationally known soloists and pedagogues who were his students are: Fabrice Pierre, Frédérique Cambreling, Catherine Michel, Bernard Galais (son 1er élève), Martine Géliot, Gisèle Herbert, Corinne Le Du, Marie-Madeleine Bouchaud, Ghislaine Petit, Brigitte Sylvestre, Annie Fontaine, Françoise Netter...in France, Suzanna Mildonian, Anna-Maria Loro...in Italy, Catherine Eisenhoffer in Switzerland, Yvette Colignon, Annie Lavoisier, Arielle Valibouse... in Belgium, Carl Swanson in the United States., Ernestine Stoop in Holland, Maria Graff in Germany, Setsuko Shimazaki in Japon, Annette Gôl in Denmark, etc..

• published: 03 Feb 2011
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