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Alexis Ffrench

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Alexis Ffrench
Background information
Born1970 (age 53–54)
Surrey, England
Occupation(s)Pianist, composer, producer
LabelsSony Music
Websitewww.alexisffrenchmusic.com

Alexis Ffrench (born 1970) is a British classical and soul musician, composer, producer, and pianist. Ffrench's music has more than 500 million streams and both albums Evolution (2018) and Dreamland (2020) reached No. 1 in the Classical Music Charts.[1]

Ffrench has headlined the Royal Albert Hall, collaborated with fashion houses Miyake and Hugo Boss, played Latitude Festival, worked with pop artist Paloma Faith, and composed several film scores.[2][3] An advocate for music education, Ffrench is a Governing Body Member and Trustee of the Royal Academy of Music, London, and is the first Artistic Director of the Royal Schools of Music. As a broadcaster, Ffrench is the host of Classical Connections on Apple Music 1.[4]

Career

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Ffrench has been improvising on the piano since the age of four. He received scholarships to study at The Purcell School for Young Musicians and the Royal Academy of Music.[5] He is known for his unusual style of combining his classical training with a love of roots music and R&B.[6]

He is signed to Sony Music[7] and Modest! Management. In 2017, he released his singles "Bluebird",[8] "Radiate"[9] and a cover of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".[10]

Ffrench delivers educational programmes on writing and producing music to young people, and has partnered with The Prince’s Trust, MJ Cole, Marvin Humes and other special guests.[4]

In 2019, Ffrench joined Scala Radio as a presenter.[11]

In March 2021, he became Scala Radio's composer in residence.[12]

In 2022, Ffrench released his new album Truth,[13] also releasing the single "One Look", featuring Leona Lewis.

Influences

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Ffrench points to the hip-hop community's success in getting across its complex musical messages to the mainstream. He cites the challenging music of Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak as examples of superstars doing it their way. "Kendrick Lamar's song 'Humble' is like Béla Bartók's Out Of Doors suite, in the pugilistic bass notes in the extremities of the piano at the opening of both works. I think to attract a contemporary audience, classical can learn from how hip-hop has marketed its music and ideas." The mix of Kendrick Lamar and Bartok, Shostakovich and Ariana Grande is present throughout Ffrench's weekly Sunday show on Scala Radio, a broad church where Ffrench highlights the song craft in pop and revels in classical majesty. He has been praised by The Times with the words: "If a single person epitomizes the new push towards making classical music more diverse, eclectic and unstuffy, it's Alexis Ffrench. As a pianist and composer, he creates tonal music that beguiles newcomers with its gentleness and beauty, yet also has enough half-concealed nods to Chopin, Debussy, Satie and other historical figures to keep connoisseurs interested."[4]

Ffrench's 2020 single "Walk With Us" pays homage to the Black Lives Matter movement, with 100 per cent of label net proceeds and artist record royalties donated to the cause.[14]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title
2006 Piano Diaries
2009 The Secret Piano
Piano Arias
The Singing Planet
Meditations
2012 Piano Karma
2013 Stolen Lullabies
2015 Escape
2016 The Piano Whisperer
2018 Evolution[15]
2020 Dreamland[16]
2022 Truth[17]
2024 Classical Soul Vol.1[18]

Film scores

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Year Title Director
2018 The House Where The Mermaid Sleeps Yukihiko Tsutsumi

References

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  1. ^ "Alexis Ffrench". Alexis Ffrench. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Alexis Ffrench Shares Powerful New 'Walk With Us' Video". Clash Magazine. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Alexis Ffrench". Alexis Ffrench. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Alexis Ffrench". Alexis Ffrench. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Alexis Ffrench reveals video for 'Bluebird' - premiere". The Independent. 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Sony Classical signs Alexis Ffrench". Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Sony Classical signs Alexis Ffrench". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Alexis Ffrench - Evolution Evolution | CD". www.sonyclassical.de. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  9. ^ Alexis Ffrench - Radiate, retrieved 23 June 2022
  10. ^ Entertainment, Sony Music. "Sony Classical". Sony Classical (in German). Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Alexis Ffrench". Scala Radio. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Alexis Ffrench named Scala Radio's Composer in Residence". RadioToday. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Alexis Ffrench - Truth Truth | CD". www.sonyclassical.de. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  14. ^ Murray, Robin (3 September 2020). "Alexis Ffrench Shares Powerful New 'Walk With Us' Video". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Alexis Ffrench - Evolution Evolution | CD". www.sonyclassical.de. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Alexis Ffrench - Dreamland Dreamland | CD". www.sonyclassical.de. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Alexis Ffrench - Truth Truth | CD". www.sonyclassical.de. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  18. ^ "Alexis Ffrench - Truth Truth | CD".
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