• About Hortus
• CDs
• Books
• Series
• Artists

Jean-François Vaucher

Orgue

Born in Bern, Jean François Vaucher began piano with François Riat; he pursued work in this instrument on the shores of the Léman with private instruction from the Swedish pianist Inger Wikström who had been fortunate to receive counsel from the great Arthur Rubinstein. It was at age six that he then commenced study of the organ, first in Vevey with François Demierre, the at the Geneva Conservatory in the class of Pierre Segond, a classmate of Jehan Alain in Marcel Dupré’s class. With thorough training in the classical subjects – History, Harmony, Fugue, Counterpoint, Improvisation, Styles and Forms, etc.) – he participated in an improvisation master class given by Jean Guillou at the Grossmünster in Zürich and was fortunate to be able to work on some of the latter’s works with him in Paris… He also had the opportunity to encounter Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé at their Paris home to interview them concerning the composer’s complete works.

After receiving his diplomas in 1972 and 1975, he earned a Premier Prix de Virtuosité in 1975, and the same year was by competition appointed organiste titulaire of the church of Saint François in Lausanne. At that time, he was a finalist in international competitions such as Arnhem in Holland and Boëllmann-Gigout in Strasbourg (for improvisation). In 1985, he was appointed professor of the advanced organ classes at the Conservatory of Lausanne. In this context he regularly organizes organ tours throughout Europe for the students of his class at the conservatory, which has in the meantime taken on the status of a Superior School of Music.

His repertory extends from early music to the music of the 20th century and has been at the heart of various recordings for the radio as well as for record. Having always declined to travel to the United States for various reasons, he nonetheless gives recitals throughout Europe. For many years he has sat on different juries: Swiss and European conservatories, international competitions, the Lausanne Bach Competition..