Jean-François Dion (*1949)

Biography

Jean-François Dion was born in 1949 in Biganos (Gironde, France). He began his musical education at the Conservatoire of Bordeaux (CNR) where he won a Gold Medal for trumpet in 1967. One year later, at 19, he won the 1st Prize for cornet at the Paris CNSM and in 1970, the same prize for trumpet. During 1971, he completed his chamber music studies at the CNSM, introducing for the first time a brass ensemble project. His career as soloist started during his student days with the orchestras Paul Kuentz, Jean-François Paillard as well as with other european orchestras. At the age of 25, he won the audition for principal trumpet of the Orchestre National de Bordeaux Acquitaine, position he held until his retirement in 2014.

From 1978 to 2014, he was professor of trumpet, cornet, and chamber music at the Conservatoire National de Région “Jacques Thibaud” in Bordeaux,where his pedagogical competence developed many new young talented students. He was artistic director and member of the Brass Ensemble of Aquitaine, of the Burdigala Brass, president and member of the Ensemble for New Music of Bordeaux.

He developed his music writing with many arrangements, studies and recital pieces for his students.

His elegant musical imagination imprints the 15 challenging portraits of the present book, which he dedicated to his colleagues and friends.