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Bio

Born in 1965 and raised in Paris, France, Pierre de Bethmann began classical piano lessons at age 6, only later discovering the world of jazz. He continued his musical and regular studies apace, graduated from ESCP in 1987 (major French graduate school of management), and studied one year at Berklee College of Music (Boston) in 1989.

He actually started working as a management consultant in 1990. Then he formed trio Prysm with Christophe Wallemme and Benjamin Henocq in 1994, and one year later he abandoned the desk to become a fulltime professional musician. From 1996 to 2001, Prysm performed over fifty concerts a year, including tours in the U.S., Japan and the Middle East, and recorded four albums on the Blue Note label.

He then raised another project in 2001, under the code name "ilium", based on the sound of the Fender Rhodes piano and totally original music. The band (a 5tet which eventually turned into a 7tet) has toured extensively in various French venues, and has released four albums - the latest one, "Cubique", was recorded after a six month residency at the Théâtre de l'Onde in Vélizy (near Paris).

From 2000 on, he intensively worked as a regular sideman with major French jazz artists such as Moutin Reunion 4tet, David El-Malek, Stéphane Huchard, Pierrick Pedron, Rosario Giuliani, Géraldine Laurent, Alex Terrier, Michael Felberbaum, Christophe Dal Sasso, Pierre Perchaud, Thomas Savy, Sébastien Jarrousse, Meta, Sonia Cat-Berro, Laïka Fatien, Denis Guivarc'h, Olivier Ker Ourio, or Jean-Christophe Béney... And occasionally played with Eddie Henderson, Dave Liebman, Aldo Romano, Philip Catherine, François Jeanneau, Patrice Caratini, Rick Margitza, Eric Le Lann, Stéphane Belmondo, Stéfano di Battista, Flavio Boltro, Sylvain Beuf, François Théberge, Julien Lourau, Meredith d'Ambrosio, Norma Winstone, Sara Lazarus...

On top of his main dedication to modern jazz, he took part in other types of musical projects, such as tours with American singer James Taylor (1998 and 1999), Reunion singer Danyel Waro (2002-2003), Brazilian singer Marcia Maria (2006-2008), and French organist and composer Thierry Escaich.

He recorded nine albums as a leader or co-leader (Prysm and Ilium)

Has teached at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris since 2008, at the Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood since 2005, at Cefedem Bordeaux (2009), at the Conservatoire National de Montpellier (2003-07), and on the occasion of several French Festivals (Buis les Baronnies 2010, Capbreton 2007, Marciac 2006, ...)

Victoire du Jazz 2008 - French instrumental album of the year
Django Reinhardt Prize 2004 - French musician of the year
Django d'Or 1998 - French group of the year (Prysm)
1st prize at the Concours National de Jazz de La Défense in 1994