EU@DCJazzFest: Jazz Pianist and Composer Paul Lay
Villa Albertine will host jazz pianist and composer Paul Lay for a concert at the Maison Française on April 27, as part of International Jazz Day.
Widely recognized as one of the leading jazz pianists of his generation (Le Monde), Paul Lay is the recipient of the Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros (2014), the Prix Django Reinhardt from the Académie du Jazz, and was named Instrumental Artist of the Year at the Victoires du Jazz in 2020.
A frequent international guest (New York, Berlin, Tokyo, Mexico City…), he has built a career defined by strong artistic vision and creative versatility. As a composer and arranger, he develops original projects at the crossroads of jazz, symphonic music, and multidisciplinary creation. In 2024, he contributed to the soundtrack of Ravens by Mark Gill (presented at the Cannes Film Festival), created Waves of Light for jazz trio and chamber choir with Les Éléments, and premiered his symphonic reinterpretation of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and the Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence.
In 2025, he continued his dialogue with Gershwin through Un Français à New York, premiered with the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire under the baton of JoAnn Falletta, marking his entry into Éditions Durand.
Through acclaimed projects such as The Party, Deep Rivers, Full Solo, and L’Odyssée, Paul Lay has developed a distinctive voice bridging tradition and modernity. His next album, Waves of Light (Libellule Records), will be released in January 2026.
Alongside collaborations with leading figures of the French jazz scene, he has been teaching jazz piano at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris since 2022, actively contributing to the training of a new generation of improvisers.
This concert is part of the European Union Delegation to the U.S. series in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, in partnership with the DC Jazz Festival. In this milestone year, the European Union and all 27 Member States are proud to celebrate with the American people across the country, honor our shared achievements, and highlight the partnerships that continue to bring us together.
More details on this concert can be found at the registration link. Other concerts will be added to the Delegation's events page as they are announced.
Admission: $35 General Admission, $5 Students