[3] Classically trained at the Conservatoire de Paris, he leapt into the international orchestral and solo music scene when he joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1992.
The Swiss-French Binet family, whose four children played musical instruments, lived in the same apartment building in Rome.
[7] As he became more determined and focused on playing the flute at a higher level, Pahud began to study from 1984 to 1987[7] with Carlos Bruneel, the then and current principal flautist of the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie opera house in Brussels.
With the strong support of his family, he also received lessons with other of Europe's finest players, including Peter-Lukas Graf in Basel.
[6][7] Winning these competitions put Pahud in the forefront to become principal flautist in the Basel Radio Symphony, under the direction of Nello Santi which he obtained the position in 1989 whilst finishing his studies in Paris.
He then continued to advance his studies for the next two years in style and interpretation with one of France's greatest flautists, Swiss-born Aurèle Nicolet, who turned out to be his neighbour.
[6] He attributes achieving both the first prize at le Concours International de Genève and being appointed for the position at the age of 22 by BPO's conductor, Claudio Abbado,[3] to his experience with Nicolet.
Being appointed as principal flutist at the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO)[11] signalled Pahud's entrance into the international spotlight.
[2] The versatility and authority of current conductor Sir Simon Rattle,[13] says Pahud, gives the orchestra a unique working partnership and a capacity to be more adventurous in its exploration of repertoire.
[8] In addition, Pahud also observed that whilst the former conductor Herbert von Karajan "produced a big string sound with a great legato.
At that time he was doing about 50 concerts a year – but with the success of his solo career and continued involvement with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, that number has spiralled to around 160:[2] 90 solo or chamber music and 75 orchestral concerts in an average year – roughly twice the number of performances that most musicians would consider a heavy work-load.
[17] Pahud is also a dedicated chamber musician and has recently made international appearances throughout Europe, North America and Japan in recital with pianists Éric Le Sage and Stephen Kovacevich as well as in a flute and string quartet formation with Christoph Poppen (violin), Hariolf Schichtig (viola) and Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)[16] with whom he recorded his 1999 record Mozart Flute Quartets.
[20] In a French interview, Pahud describes the success of the festival as a project "filled with enthusiasm and fun"[8] where the public has "recognised our work, our fellow artists, musicians and actors and have the desire to come back regularly.
"[8] He also describes the festival as a "musical laboratory" which avoids the programming of works that the public are used to hearing in concert halls.
[18] In 2008 he performed for the first time at the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival, where he played in the world premier of Elliott Carter's Flute Concerto, conducted by Daniel Barenboim.
[13] For the Dalbavie Record (2008) Pahud dedicated himself to commissioning new works and to new flute concertos, performing them for the first time on stage.
[22] Whilst working with German Composer, Matthias Pintscher, Pahud sought to explore a new level and style of playing the flute.
[22] In March 2008 Pahud performed the world première of another work commissioned by Frank Michael Beyer, who composed Meridian, a Concerto for Flute & String Ensemble.
[24] It was joint commissioned by the BPO, Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival and Boston Symphony Orchestra.
[25] Pahud will world première the Flute Concerto by Luca Lombardi in 2010, commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony.
This is where you keep music moving,"[3] and he acknowledges his various experiences with newer flute compositions as benefiting the way he performs his traditional repertoire.
[7] He adds, "Artists such as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle (conductors of BPO) were or are in line with tradition and make it evolve.
In terms of style of the Dalbavie concerto itself, Pahud reflects how the flute finds a resonance within the orchestra whilst maintaining its virtuosic, colourful and sensual phrasing.
He was able to perform admirable phrases that never seemed to end, or how the breathing faded into the musical flow; and his ability to make the sound of the flute seem to extend endlessly, infinitely.
Pahud's collaboration with Jacky Terrasson resulted in a duo CD titled "Into the Blue," with performances including original takes on Bolero, Apres un Reve, and the Bolling Suite among others.
[29] Other examples of his vast interests in innovative musical genres include so-called "one-time projects" (as Pahud calls them); most recently in 2006, it included a collaboration project with the NHK Symphony Orchestra of a recorded original soundtrack for the NHK Taiga series Komyo ga Tsuji (Jp: 功名が辻).
[6] Pahud previously played on a 14-karat golden flute which he bought from Brannen Brothers in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1989[13] with money he won from competitions.
[6] Two weeks later he bought a head joint (the part into which the player blows) from Dana Sheridan, another Boston flute manufacturer.
It all happens by the way you hold your muscles, control your lungs, use the different cavities in the head and the upper body to let the sound resonate more or less.
Theatre des Champs-Elysees , Avramovic, Riquelme, Park Philharmonie , Berliner Philharmoniker, Daniel Barenboim, Martha Argerich 10:30 Kongresszentrum , Sinfonia Engiadina, Christoph-Mathias Mueller Lyceum Alpinum , Sinfonia Engiadina, Christoph-Mathias Mueller Schulhaus , Sinfonia Engiadina, Christoph-Mathias Mueller Mehrzweckhalle , Sinfonia Engiadina, Christoph-Mathias Mueller Festsaal , Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Thomas Zehetmair Liederhalle , Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Thomas Zehetmair Palatin - Staufersaal , Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Thomas Zehetmair Union Hall , Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Thomas Zehetmair BASF Feierabendhaus , Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Anu Tali Alte Oper , Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Anu Tali Philharmonie , Berliner Philharmoniker, Daniel Harding, Antoine Tamestit Mozarteum , Camerata Salzburg, Francois Leleux Eglise , Ana Agafia, Paul Zientara, Stephanie Huang Philharmonie , Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko Concertgebouw , Trevor Pinnock, Jonathan Manson Musikverein , Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko, Lisa Batiashvili Elbphilharmonie , Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko, Lisa Batiashvili Landgasthof , Bertrand Chamayou KKL , Bertrand Chamayou Flute and Symphony Orchestra[32] Flute and Chamber Orchestra[32] Flute and Strings[32] On EMI Classics[18][34] On Auvidis Valois[34] On Musiques Suisses[34]