B i o g r a p h y

(long version)

Musical training

Born in 1968 in the Landes, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU began music in college with the practice of the harmonium and the piano, as well as a rich choral activity of which he quickly became a regular accompanist. This musical environment is punctuated each summer by a liturgical music course and he received in 1986 the Higher Diploma from ANFOL.

After his baccalaureate, he was admitted to the organ class of M. BOUVARD and J.-W. JANSEN at the Conservatoire National de Région de Toulouse where, for four years, he followed a complete training. Indeed, the First Prize for Organ awarded to him in 1990 by the jury composed of X. DARASSE, F. ESPINASSE and J. BOYER was accompanied in 1989-90 by six other First Prizes: Counterpoint, Analysis, Sight reading and, at the Unanimity, Harmony, Orchestration and Chamber Music (Organ and Brass).

The following year, it was in the Class of F.-H. HOUBART at the Orleans Conservatory where he again received a First Prize for Organ, unanimously by a jury comprising J.-M. COCHEREAU, F. LOMBARD and O. LATRY.

Claiming this multidisciplinary training, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU has since led a career as a versatile, rigorous and sensitive musician.

Organist

After having assiduously played the organ of his village during the six years of his adolescence, he became organist of the church of Christ-Roi in Toulouse (1986-90), then titular of the historic organs of the church of Notre-Dame de the Croix de Ménilmontant in Paris (1990-1992).

Finally, in 2001, he was appointed titular organist of the historic Cavaillé-Coll organs of the Cathedral of Orléans, of which he was, from 2011, the artistic director of the International Organ Festival “Au son des Orgues“. Until 2022, he was involved with passion, conviction and dedication to the service of beauty and dignity in the liturgy and for the influence of these prestigious instruments.

Since 1989, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU has given numerous concerts, in most regions of France, in Germany, the Czech Republic, in the West Indies and Indian Ocean, and on several occasions in Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia and Japan.

During his performances at renowned organs or in the context of international festivals, as much as on the keyboards of more modest instruments, he reveals a "true sense of the organ": through a varied and colorful repertoire, and a "sensitive and elegant playing“, it reciprocally enhances the sound palettes of the instruments and the musical discourse of the works.

In addition to diverse and occasional collaborations, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU permorms regularly in Duos or Trio formation. Thus, with Bernard PETIT-BAGNARD, he has formed since 2003 an Organ & Trumpet Duo and, with Corinne SERTILLANGES, an Organ & Voice Duo or Harmonium, since 2011. Together, these three musicians also form a Trio whose excellence, sensitivity and perfect osmosis have also been highlighted by the press.

Teaching

After two years of intense training at the Conservatory of Tours, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU obtained in 1992, by competitive examination, the Certificate of Aptitude for the functions of Professor of Artistic Education (Musical Training).

He then practiced at the Reunion Conservatory for more than five years, before joining the Orleans Conservatory in 1998 where he is currently in charge of composition and musical analysis classes.

He teaches the organ during master-classes (Japan, Prague, Spain…) or Academies (Institute of Sacred Music of Toulouse, International Weeks of Chaource).

His pedagogical approach focuses on developing autonomy, intelligence and musical sensitivity in his students.

Conductor

Introduced to the direction in particular by Jean-Marc COCHEREAU, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU conducted the Regional Choir of La Réunion between 1993 and 1997, then various orchestras and choirs between 1999 and 2008, in particular the Ensemble of Brass of the Center Region and the Confluence orchestral ensemble.

Composition

Improviser, poet and composer, Jean-Pierre GRIVEAU is the author of poetic and musical works, whose language he constantly renews, both rigorous and colorful.