BIOGRAPHY

Benjamin Alard's main passion has always been the music of JS Bach, and it was for his interpretation of this great composer that he received first prize at the 2004 International Harpsichord Competition in Bruges.

When he was still very young, he began to study music in his hometown, Dieppe (France). Soon he was attracted to the organ and entered the Conservatoire de Rouen, where he studied with Louis Thiry and François Ménissier.

He started playing the harpsichord with Elizabeth Joyé, with whom he studied in Paris before going, in 2003, to the Schola Cantorum in Basel to work with Jörg-Andreas Bötticher, Jean-Claude Zehnder and Andrea Marcon.

Since 2005 he has been organist of the Bernard-Aubertin organ of the Saint-Louis church on the Île de Paris, where every season he offers concerts of Bach's music.

Benjamin Alard currently divides his time between recitals and chamber music, both on the harpsichord and the organ. He often performs repertoire for two harpsichords with Elisabeth Joyé (in duo with violinist François Fernandez, or in trio). He is regularly invited to perform as a soloist in musical cycles in Europe, Japan and North America.

Benjamin Alard has recorded for the Hortus label and made several recordings of works by JS Bach for Alpha (Trio Sonatas, Clavier-Übung I and II). His recordings have consistently received high praise from the press and have been awarded multiple awards.

He will now devote himself to the complete works for harpsichord and solo organ of Johann Sebastian Bach for Harmonia Mundi.