PIERRE WILLIMANN

Pierre Willimann is a Franco-Swiss guitarist, composer, improviser and teacher, born in Geneva. He began classical guitar at the age of 11. At 17, he passed his Certificate at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, Danse et Théâtre de Genève. At the same time, he took part in, was a finalist in and won several classical guitar competitions in Switzerland and France. Notable competitions include the Concours d'Excellence de Paris and the Concours Suisse de Musique pour la Jeunesse. 

 

In 2012, he passed the entrance exam for Geneva's Haute École de Musique (HEM), which he entered in September of that year. He studied classical guitar with Dušan Bogdanović. He graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor's degree in classical guitar, followed in 2017 by a Master's degree in Music Pedagogy.

 

In 2016, he was the only Swiss artist to perform a solo recital at the Six Cordes au fil de l'Allier festival. He shares the bill with, among others, Roland Dyens and Francis Kleynjans. 

In 2017, he made a long trip to South America to meet several guitarists he admires, with the aim of preparing a university research project on the contribution of popular guitar techniques to the evolution of classical guitar techniques.

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As a composer, Pierre Willimann's music is one of the most heterogeneous: a great mix of all his influences. In the same room, the colors of Albéniz and the riffs of Black Sabbath can cross paths, interspersed with blues cycles reminiscent of Albert King!