French classical pianist Genevieve Joy has diedDecember 2nd, 2009
Genevieve Joy died Friday night in her sleep at the age of 90 years old. Key figure in contemporary music, she played an important role in the spread of contemporary piano repertoire, creating works of her husband, Henri Dutilleux to whom my thoughts are, but also other leading composers like Pierre Boulez and Andre Jolivet. She has highlighted in her work the composers much more than herself.
She was born in Bernaville in the Somme department in Northern France region of Picardy on October 4, 1919. Accepted to the Paris Conservatory in 1932, she had studied piano, harmony and collaborative piano. Vocal coach at the orchestre National de France during the mid 1940’s, she taught sight-reading before becoming piano professor at the Paris Conservatoire.
She has served the music of her time with dedication and gusto.
Thank you Genevieve Joy, you will remain immortal in our hearts.