Géo Voumard Explained

Géo Voumard
Birth Date:2 December 1920
Instrument:Piano
Occupation:Jazz composer
Associated Acts:Hazy Osterwald Orchestra

Géo Voumard (2 December 1920 – 3 September 2008) was a Swiss jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival and composer of the song "Refrain" which won the first Eurovision Song Contest.[1]

Life and career

Voumard was born in Biel/Bienne.[1] He originally studied architecture in college before starting his musical career.[1]

Music career

Voumard joined the Hazy Osterwald Orchestra in 1944.[1] Four years later, in 1948, he created his own group. Voumard began broadcasting out of Radio Lausanne, which is now known as Radio Suisse Romande, in 1952.[1] He originally joined Radio Lausanne as an accompanist, pianist, composer and musical producer.[1] In 1966, Voumard became the station's director of pop music. He later served as Radio Lausanne's director of light entertainment from 1969 until 1983.[1]

Voumard founded the Montreux Jazz Festival with René Langel and Claude Nobs in 1967.[1] He co-wrote the very first Eurovision Song Contest winning song, Refrain in 1956.[1] Refrain was co-written by Émile Gardaz.[1]

Voumard moved to the Provence region of France following his departure from radio broadcasting in the 1980s.[1] He worked as an architect in France before returning to his native Switzerland for the remainder of his life.[1]

Géo Voumard died at the age of 87.[1]

Discography

Notes and References

  1. News: Géo Voumard, a Founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, Dies at 87 . Agence France-Presse. The New York Times. 2008-08-08 . 2008-09-11.