Gendron, Maurice
Gendron, Maurice
Gendron, Maurice, French cellist, conductor, and pedagogue; b. Nice, Dec. 26, 1920; d. Grez-sur-Loing, Aug. 20, 1990. He studied cello with Stephane Odero in Cannes, Jean Mangot at the Nice Cons, (premier prix, 1935), and Gerard Hekking at the Paris Cons, (premier prix, 1938); later he found mentors in conducting in Desormiere, Scherchen, and Mengelberg. In 1945 he acquired a following as a cello virtuoso when he appeared as soloist in Prokofiev’s Cello Concerto in London; thereafter he played with major European orchs. He also was active as a conductor in France, and later was conductor with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta (1971–73). He served as a prof, at the Saarbriicken Hochschule für Musik (1953–70), and then at the Paris Cons. (1970–87).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire