Régis Pasquier
In 1958 at age 12, Régis Pasquier was awarded the First Prize for violin and chamber music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Two years later, he went to the United States to give a recital in New York. This was a decisive year because he met Isaac Stern, David Oistrakh, Pierre Fournier, Nadia Boulanger and Zino Francescatti who heard him play, was impressed by his talents and a few years later requested his collaboration to record Bach’s Concerto for two violins. From that moment Régis Pasquier entered the very exclusive circle of great violinists of world fame. He performs with the greatest orchestras, particularly in the United States with the Cleveland Philharmonic conducted by the eminent George Szell.
His art has been acclaimed and rewarded in France with numerous prizes among which the Académie du Disque Français Prize, the Georges Enesco Prize and the Charles Cros Prize in 1988. In 1985, he was appointed Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and Professor of violin and chamber music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Régis Pasquier has made numerous concertos and chamber music recordings, notably Prokofiev sonatas for violin and piano with Pascal Rogé, Prokofiev violin concertos with the Orchestre National de Bordeaux-Aquitaine, Paganini’s 24 Caprices, Berg and Bartók violin concertos. His recording of Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano has won the Victoires de la musique. Recent releases include Mozart violin concertos.
Régis Pasquier is regularly invited abroad to Japan, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, South America and the United States.
Régis Pasquier is also well known as a chamber musician of a rare sensibility. The Piano Trio which he founded with Jean-Claude Pennetier and Roland Pidoux belongs to the world’s most praised chamber music groups. He plays a magnificent violin by Joseph Guarnerius (del Gesù), Cremona 1734.