Jean Balissat was born in Lausanne (Switzerland) and was immediately attracted to composition and conducting. He was educated in harmony and counterpoint in Lausanne before undertaking studies in composition, orchestration and conducting in Geneva. In order to have a deeper insight into the mechanism of an orchestra he also studied the horn and percussion.
As a conductor and musical director he has directed numerous ensembles in our country including the "Landwehr de Fribourg" which has been under his baton for the past 12 years.
Jean Balissat has composed for orchestras, chamber music ensembles, percussionists, choirs, harmonic orchestras, brass bands and solo instruments. He wrote the score for the "Fête des Vignerons", which was celebrated in 1977 in Vevey.
He has taught orchestration and analysis for many years at the conservatories of Lausanne and Geneva.
From 1986 to 1990 he was the president of the Swiss Association of Musicians and from 1991 to 2004 of the SUISA Foundation for Music.
Profoundly attached to the countryside of the canton of Vaud, he lives since 1963 in Corcelles-le-Jorat.
Work list
Quatuor à cordes no. 1 (string quartet N° 1) (1959/2003)
Duration: 17' 00" Manuscript
Sonate pour trois cuivres, piano et percussion (1956)
Instrumentation: for trumpet, horn, trombone, piano and percussion
Duration: 14' 00" Manuscript
Adagio et fugue (1956)
Instrumentation: for clarinet and piano
Duration: 6' 30" Manuscript
Ballade pour orchestre (1958)
Instrumentation: (2.2.2.2/2.2.2.0/timp.2perc/str)
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Sinfonie No 2 (1959)
Instrumentation: for orchestra (2(pic).2(ca).2.2/2.2.2.0/timp.3perc/str)