Richard Clayderman - Topic

Richard Clayderman was born in Paris in 1957 and has become one of the most successful pianists of all time. At the age of twelve he was accepted into the prestigious ‘Conservatoire de Paris’, obtaining the first prize in piano at sixteen. During the 1970’s, Richard Clayderman worked as a session musician for many famous French singers but his life changed dramatically upon meeting Olivier Toussaint and Paul de Senneville in October 1976. Paul de Senneville had written a romantic ballad following the birth of his daughter, Adeline and, with his partner Olivier Toussaint, were searching for a talented pianist to play it. Richard was shown the piano score, but rather than play it immediately, took it home to perfect his performance and auditioned the following day. ‘Ballade Pour Adeline’ earned great acclaim firstly in France, Germany, Spain and by 1979, worldwide. The track has since sold an astonishing 22 millions copies in 38 countries.

Dubbed ‘The Prince of Romance’ by Nancy Reagan, Richard Clayderman enjoys a career that has spanned six decades. In that time he has sold over 90 million albums worldwide and recorded over 1,400 titles in his trademark romantic style, a broad repertoire that encompasses original compositions as well as classical and pop standards that are enjoyed the world over.