Paul Mauriat(1925-2006)

Paul Mauriat is a French composer, arranger and conductor. He began to study music at the age of four. He graduated from the Marseille Conservatory in piano. Mauriat was fond of jazz and popular music. At the age of seventeen he created his first orchestra. In 1957 he moved to Paris and began work on the record company "Barclay" as an arranger and accompanist. From 1959 to 1964, Mauriat collaborated with the Bel-Air record label. At various times, he worked with Charles Aznavour (co-created over 120 songs), Dalida, Maurice Chevalier, Léo Ferré, Leny Escudéro and many other pop singers. In 1962, Mauriat composed his first international hit, "Chariot", which later received the English name "I will follow him". In 1965, Mauriat created his grand orchestra, with which he recorded instrumental versions of popular songs for many years, and made arrangements for classical music. In 1965, he began his collaboration with Philips record label, which will last 28 years. In 1994, he signed a contract with the Japanese record company Pony Canyon, in collaboration with which his most famous compositions were recorded. The latest album of the orchestra, "Romantic", was recorded in 1997. Since 1998, Paul Mauriat has completed his active concert activities. The pianist Gilles Gambius, who worked in the orchestra for many years, became the new conductor of the orchestra.