At the age of 11 he began his studies at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique in Paris with Nadia Boulanger , Marguerite Long and Tony Aubin . He won eight first prizes, one for piano at the age of 16 and one for orchestral direction in 1953 in Louis Fourestier's class as well as in the subjects of music theory , chamber music , harmony , fugue , counterpoint , accompaniment and composition . In 1954 he was awarded the Prix de Rome and in 1963 the Grand Prix musical de la Ville de Paris . In 1958 he won the renowned Tchaikovsky piano competition in Moscow . In 1962 he was appointed professor of harmony at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique in Paris .
From 1973 to 1997 he was chief conductor of the Musique de la Garde républicaine in Paris. He has made numerous radio recordings and recordings and CD recordings with this elite wind orchestra. He was also a guest conductor with numerous European orchestras, such as the Choeurs & Orchester National de l'Opera de Monte-Carlo .
