Pianist François-Xavier Poizat Will Add Carnegie Hall Debut To Cherished Memories

François-Xavier Poizat

Pianist François-Xavier Poizat feels that the supporting presence of an audience, the rituals around a concert, and the stage fright are all necessary for the magical moment of a performance to happen. “We can of course play music anywhere else, but it will never have the intensity as if it is on the stage during a real concert,” he said.

All of these elements come into play as François-Xavier prepares for his Carnegie Hall debut on December 2.

He hopes to bring emotion to the stage, as he feels everything in life comes out through music, the sum of musical and life experiences. If he can make the audience snatch a glimpse of the composer's genius, then he is doing his job well.

Playing Ravel

During his Carnegie Hall performance, he will play Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin and La Valse (arr. Alexander Ghindin). As a child, François-Xavier listened to Ravel’s solo piano pieces. A recent project included Ravel’s Left-Hand Concerto while touring with the Swiss Youth Orchestra.

The Left-Hand Concerto, as with many of Ravel's pieces, is an extremely moving ode to peace, deeply inspired by the horror of the WWI.

“If some people feel a little bellicose for whatever reasons, they should give themselves a chance to calm down with this masterpiece,” François-Xavier said. 

Life as a Pianist

François-Xavier thinks the many hours of piano practice probably modified his brain a little. For example, sometimes he can't say if he is left-handed or right-handed. Also, the daily management of a performer's repertoire has brought on a little bit of hypermnesia. Otherwise, he hopes the constant travelling and the opportunity of living abroad helps him to become internationally minded. 

He doesn’t have one big achievement that is at the center of his life, but he does cherish all the little achievements that allowed him to access the life that he always dreamed about: made of performances, travels, freedom and the beauty of art. 

Of course, playing the piano always makes François-Xavier happy.

“It is the center of my balance and I never doubted of keeping it there for my whole life. If it further allows me to meet great people and discover the world, then I am even happier,” he said.

To learn more about François-Xavier, visit his website.