Pierre Jasmin

Jasmin, Pierre

Pierre Jasmin. Pianist, teacher, b Montreal 11 Mar 1949; BA Philosophy (Caen) 1966, B MUS (McGill) 1970, L MUS (McGill) 1970, ARCM 1971, MMA (California) 1973, concert diploma (Vienna Academy) 1976, certificate (Moscow Conservatory) 1978. After studies 1967-70 at McGill University with Paul Loyonnet (piano), he resided abroad for eight years studying at the Royal College of Music in London with Ilona Kabos, at the University of Southern California with Rosina Lhévinne and at the Academy of Music in Vienna with Dieter Weber. He also took master classes with Friedrich Gulda and Stanislas Neuhaus, who invited him to study for an intensive one year course in 1978 at the Moscow Conservatory. He participated in Wilhelm Kempff's master classes on the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas in 1977 and 1981, and received pianistic advice from Alissa Kezeradze-Pogorelich. On his return to Canada, he taught 1979-84 at Queen's University and 1979-88 at Vanier Cegep. He began to teach at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in 1981, where he was director 1984-6 of the Music Deptartment. In addition to Canada, Jasmin has performed in Austria, England, France, Italy, Taiwan, the USA, the USSR, and Yugoslavia. He has been a soloist with the McGill Chamber Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and he inaugurated the first regular season of the Orchestre métropolitain at the Place des Arts in 1985. His repertoire covers music from Bach to Stockhausen and Couperin to Messiaen; he has a particular affinity for Slavic music and the works of Beethoven, whose 32 piano sonatas he has performed in lecture-recitals 1989-90 and 2004. He has also given recital series of the solo piano works of Mozart (2001, 2004-5), and the preludes and fugues of Bach. From 1991 to 2003, he taught and performed annually in the Czech and Slovak Republics.

Jasmin was the subject of the National Film Board documentary titled Nos derniers jours à Moscou, which was premiered at the International Festival of Art Films in Montreal in 1988. A Radio-Canada program recorded his concerts for Bosnian refugees in 1994, and in 2002 he recorded a solo CD of Bach's keyboard works. He was artistic director 1992-3 of the Montreal International Piano Festival, has been a member of various juries, and has frequently accompanied the singers Colette Boky and Joseph Rouleau. In addition to his artistic career, he has been active in the peace movement, was president of Artists for Peace 1990-7, and has championed other humanitarian causes.

Writings
"Freedom of Expression," University Affairs, March 2005