Pierick Houdy
b. 1929
French
Biography
Born on January 18th 1929 in Rennes, France, Pierick Houdy was something of a young prodigy. His first works were published in 1937, when Houdy was merely 8 years of age. When the Second World War began in 1939, the National Radio Orchestra was forced to move to Rennes. One of the sound engineers, who also happened to be a professor at the Paris Conservatory, took the then 10 year old Houdy into his class. Through being in this class, Houdy had subsequent tuition with Maurice Duruflé, Nadia Boulanger, Olivier Messiaen and Darius Milhaud. The early years of his career are somewhat crowned by his winning First Prize for composition, Second prize at the Prix de Rome and the Grand Prize of the City of Paris.
In 1955, he was appointed director of the Tours Conservatory and organist of Basilica de St. Martin and this was the start of a series of appointments in either educational or religious contexts. In 1965 he was appointed Kapellmeister at St. Severin and in 1966 he was given the head Children’s Choir Master for Radio France. 1970 saw his appointment as professor of composition at Laval University, Quebec City, Canada where he also acted as organist for the university parish, the Conservatory of Music and the Conservatory of Dramatic Art of Quebec. He continued to lead these activities alongside his compositional work. Houdy returned to France in 1992 and remains composing today.
In 1955, he was appointed director of the Tours Conservatory and organist of Basilica de St. Martin and this was the start of a series of appointments in either educational or religious contexts. In 1965 he was appointed Kapellmeister at St. Severin and in 1966 he was given the head Children’s Choir Master for Radio France. 1970 saw his appointment as professor of composition at Laval University, Quebec City, Canada where he also acted as organist for the university parish, the Conservatory of Music and the Conservatory of Dramatic Art of Quebec. He continued to lead these activities alongside his compositional work. Houdy returned to France in 1992 and remains composing today.