Philippe Dervieux, Piano Solo

Solo concert from 6PM to 10PM by Paul Marcorelles.

Le Paris Montparnasse is a French popular restaurant known for its warm atmosphere, welcoming personnel and authentic cuisine.

Reservation is recommended.

PHILIPPE DERVIEUX Pianist, composer, music essayist

Education & Training

Philippe Dervieux, a French pianist and composer, trained in classical piano from 1982 to 1987 at the Schola Cantorum in Paris (5th arrondissement), and subsequently from 1987 to 1989 at the École Normale de Musique de Paris. In parallel, he pursued in-depth training in jazz piano under the American pianist Aaron Bridgers (1918–2003)—a companion of Billy Strayhorn and long-time resident pianist at the Mars Club in Paris—as well as under the master pedagogue and pianist Bernard Maury. He also studied harmony and composition with composer and musicologist André Hodeir, one of the leading figures of jazz scholarship in France.

The Jazz Musician

In 1988, he formed his own trio, which performed on several occasions as the opening act for Claude Bolling's big band. A versatile pianist, he performs regularly across various configurations—from modern jazz to big bands, as a soloist or in a trio. He has played in numerous clubs, festivals, and venues, including Caveau de la Huchette, Le Bilboquet, Le Ciel de Paris, Sunset, Le Petit Journal Montparnasse and Saint-Michel, Maxim Saury Jazz Club, Le Franc-Pinot, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Club at the Hôtel Méridien, and the Casino d'Enghien. His festival appearances include Saint-Leu-d'Esserent, Saint-Riquier, Ascona, the Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois, Swing à Langourla, Radio France Montpellier, Jazz à Nemours, the Megève Festival, and the Jazz in Marciac International Festival, alongside several tours in Switzerland.

Solo Piano in Prestigious Establishments

Since the beginning of his professional career, Philippe Dervieux has performed solo and in small ensembles at France's most renowned luxury hotels, including Hôtel La Réserve, Hôtel Burgundy, The Peninsula Paris, Four Seasons Megève, Ritz Paris, Bar Fantasia at the Disneyland Hotel, Hôtel New York, Hyatt Regency Roissy, the Cazaudehore La Forestière restaurant, Château de Bellinglise, LeCrans Hotel, and Hôtel de Crillon. He has also performed on several occasions for events organized by the cultural service of the U.S. Embassy at the Hôtel de Talleyrand in Paris. Furthermore, since 2001, he has been one of the resident pianists at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris. His extensive repertoire encompasses major international standards, French chanson, and landmark themes from jazz history—spanning the 1930s and 1940s (swing, stride, boogie-woogie) through the 1950s and 1960s. He tailors each performance to the atmosphere and audience, guided by an intuitive sensibility developed through daily live performance.

The Composer

A member of SACEM as a composer and improviser, Philippe Dervieux also composes for visual media. His command of orchestration enables him to craft rich tonal palettes across diverse stylistic approaches: romantic, orchestral jazz, contemporary soundscapes, and stage music. He has collaborated with numerous production houses, publishers, and television networks. Notably, he contributed to the soundtrack of the CBS documentary series 48 Hours—one of American television's longest-running programs—where one of his themes became a recurring motif throughout the series. More recently, he composed an original 95-minute symphonic score for Rupert Julian's silent film The Phantom of the Opera (1925), a foundational work of Hollywood horror cinema.

The Music Essayist

For several years, Philippe Dervieux has dedicated a significant portion of his work to writing. He regularly publishes long-form commentary on Facebook addressing film music, jazz, and classical music. Blending his perspective as a performing musician with analytical rigor, he examines scores with technical precision, wit, and narrative skill. His essays cover composers such as Bernard Herrmann, Franz Waxman, Georges Delerue, Michel Legrand, Alex North, Georges Auric, and Marc Lanjean, as well as figures like Nat King Cole, Mel Bonis, and Michael Tippett, alongside topics such as musical synesthesia from Scriabin to Messiaen. He also addresses contemporary developments in classical music, critiquing market dynamics, branding, and the shift in aesthetic standards.

YouTube Channel Philippe Dervieux, composer: https://www.youtube.com/@philippedervieuxcompositeu1030