Richard Galliano

Accordion

Richard Galliano began learning the piano and accordion at the age of 4 with his father Lucien Galliano, who was himself an accordionist and teacher. Particularly talented, he quickly enrolled at the Nice Conservatory, which at the time was run by organist Pierre Cochereau. There he took lessons in harmony, counterpoint and trombone. He came to Paris in 1975 and met Claude Nougaro, who was his friend, accordionist and conductor until 1983. The author and the composer found each other. They got on wonderfully.

Many songs were to emerge from this close collaboration that have become part of the heritage of French song. The second decisive meeting took place in 1980 with the Argentinian composer and bandoneonist Astor Piazzolla. Astor strongly encouraged him to create the French "New Musette", as he himself had invented the Argentinian "New Tango". During his long and prolific career, Richard Galliano recorded more than 50 albums under his own name.

He has also worked with an impressive number of renowned artists and musicians, including Chet Baker, Eddy Louiss, Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Serge Reggiani, Claude Nougaro, Barbara, Juliette Greco as well as Nigel Kennedy and various orchestras. During his world tours, he has performed in the most prestigious theatres, including the Lincoln Center in New York, the Victoria Hall in Geneva, the Accademia Santa Cécilia in Rome, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris and the Théâtre Marinsky in Saint Petersburg. In 1997, Richard Galliano was honoured with a "Victoire de la Musique Jazz" for his album New York Tango.

In 2009 he was appointed Officer and in 2011 Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters. In 2010, he received the "SACEM Prize for the best pedagogical work for the accordion method", which he and his father Lucien Galliano realised with the Lemoine publishing house. In 2010, he recorded a Bach album with Deutsche Grammophon, which set a record with 70,000 discs sold. He won the "Victoire de la Musique Classique" in 2014 and also received the "Best Composer of the Year 2014" award.