Pierre Sancan: “Master of the Masterclass”

The purpose of this study is to explore the life and work of Pierre Sancan (1916–2008), an exemplary piano teacher who, like many masters in the apprenticeship tradition, is chiefly remembered today by his pupils alone. An all-round musician, Sancan had early success as a composer when he won the Prix de Rome in 1943, and enjoyed a flourishing career in solo and ensemble piano performance. His applied studio practices were based on the French school but extended beyond it by drawing on Russian approaches to technique, a study of anatomy, and the influence of jazz improvisation. However, at the height of his creative career, hailed as ‘one of the biggest names in French music today’, Sancan became professor of piano at the Paris Conservatoire, increasingly devoting his expertise and energies to the musical lives of his pupils and influencing generations of pianists and piano teachers around the world. In this study, Sancan’s musical career is examined through archival material including institutional documents, interviews and personal memorabilia, alongside an interview and survey study with former pupils including Jean-Philippe Collard and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.