Jean Derbès

Jean Derbès (19 May 1937 – 14 May 1982) was a French composer, music critic, radio producer, and pianist.

Life and career The son of a violinist employed at the Opéra de Lyon, Jean Derbès was born in Aix-les-Bains, France on 19 May 1937. He studied piano with Hélène Herrenschmidt at the while a teenager. This was followed by further studies with Nikita Magaloff and Madeleine Lipatti at the Geneva Conservatoire where he earned a first prize in 1955. After this he entered the Conservatoire de Paris where he was a piano student of Yves Nat and Walter Gieseking, and a music composition pupil of Noël Gallon and Tony Aubin. While in Paris he was active as a jazz and contemporary music performer. In 1964 he married contralto Arlette Chédel; a singer with whom he frequently collaborated. In 1968 he won first prize at the Geneva Concours for his ballet Manu-Tara (1967).

Derbès died in Geneva, Switzerland on 14 May 1982 at the age of 45.