Emmanuel Pahud
International Soloist, Recording Artist, Chamber Musician,
Principal Flute - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
All-14K Custom Flute, inline G, B foot
The Swiss and French flute player Emmanuel Pahud began playing the flute at the age of 6, first with his neighbour François Binet, and later in Brussels with Michel Moinil and Carlos Bruneel. He continued his studies with Peter-Lukas Graf, then at the Paris Conservatoire (Michel Debost, Alain Marion, Pierre-Yves Artaud, Christian Lardé) and obtained his diploma in 1990 with Premier Prix.
At the age of 19, while finally perfecting his craft under Aurèle Nicolet, he gained his first position as solo flute in the Basel Radio Symphony Orchestra. He won first prize in competitions in Duino, Kobe and Geneva, and, at the age of 23, joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as principal flute, a position he still holds today.
As a soloist, he has performed with Abbado, Barenboim, Boulez, Gergiev, Gardiner, Rattle, Järvi, Maazel, Sokhiev, Nezet-Séguin; in recital with Le Sage, Bronfman, Grimaud, Kovacevich, Pinnock; and in jazz with Jacky Terrasson.
He co-founded the Salon-de-Provence Festival, played and recorded numerous projects with Les Vents Français. He has premiered several works by composers such as Carter, Dalbavie, Hosokawa, Jarrell, Rivet, Francesconi and Pintscher. He has more than 25 recordings exclusively for EMI/Warner Classics, for which he has won a number of accolades, including several Diapasons d’Or, Victoires de la Musique and Echo-Preis.
Emmanuel Pahud is a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, an HonRAM of the Royal Academy of Music in London and Unicef Ambassador