Richard Clayderman has done what virtually no other French act has ever done..... established a truly international career as a best selling recording artist and concert performer.

 

Born Philippe Pagès on December 28th, 1953, he encountered the piano early in his life. His father, a piano teacher, laid the foundation for his son's later success and began teaching him how to play at a very young age. It is said that, at the age of six, Richard Clayderman could read music more adeptly than his native French.

 

Nevertheless, his life changed dramatically in 1976 when he received a telephone call from Olivier Toussaint, a well-known French record producer, who, with his partner, Paul de Senneville, was looking for a pianist to record a gentle piano ballad. Paul had composed this ballad as a tribute to his new born daughter "Adeline". The 23 year old Philippe Pagès was auditioned along with 20 other hopefuls and, to his amazement, he got the job.



 

However, "The Prince of Romance" (as he was dubbed by Nancy Reagan) is not simply a recording artist. In fact, despite his natural shyness and reserve, he is completely in his element on stage; a Richard Clayderman concert is a real 'Spectacular'.



 

The biggest price Richard Clayderman feels he has to pay for his international stardom is the time he spends away from his family - a sacrifice he acknowledges they all suffer but accept as part of his duty to his millions of fans.