Jean-Michel Damase, born on January 27, 1928, in Bordeaux, France, was a pianist and composer. Growing up in a musical environment as the son of harpist Micheline Kahn, he studied under Alfred Cortot and graduated from the Paris Conservatory with a first prize in piano at age fifteen. Damase's career began with performances alongside notable artists such as Pierre Barbizet and Lily Laskine. He won the Prix de Rome in 1947 and received the Grand Prix de la SACD (Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers) for his complete recording of Gabriel Fauré’s Nocturnes and Barcarolles in 1960, along with the Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris. His compositions include operas like "Colombe" (1961) and "La Tendre Éléonore" (1962), as well as ballets such as La Croqueuse de diamants (1950). Damase also contributed to film scores, including Le Père de Mademoiselle (1950). He passed away on April 21, 2013.
