Patrick Moraz
| Patrick Moraz | |
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Moraz in concert with The Moody Blues, 1978
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Patrick Philippe Moraz |
| Born |
24 June 1948 Morges, Switzerland |
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| Years active | 1967–present |
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| Website | patrickmoraz.com |
Patrick Philippe Moraz (born 24 June 1948) is a Swiss musician, film composer and songwriter, best known for his tenures as keyboardist in the rock bands Yes and The Moody Blues.
Born in Morges into a musical family, Moraz learned music at a young age and studied at the Lausanne Conservatory. He began a music career in the 1960s as a jazz musician, performing with his quartet and quintet that performed across Europe and won several awards. In 1969, he formed the short lived progressive rock group Mainhorse and started work scoring films. He formed Refugee in 1974 and recorded one album before he joined Yes that year. Moraz stayed with them until 1976; during this time he started a solo career with his first album, The Story of I (1976). Moraz joined The Moody Blues in 1978 and left in 1991. Since then, he has worked on various solo projects.
Moraz was born on 24 June 1948 in Morges, Switzerland into a musical family. His father used to work for Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. As a child, he played the violin, piano, and percussion and wrote compositions for the piano at the age of five. He studied jazz and classical music until his development came to an abrupt halt at thirteen after he broke four fingers in a roller skating accident. He recalled, "I was told I could never play classical music again". Following a course of therapy and a considerable amount of practice with his left hand playing, Moraz was able to regain his technique, becoming ambidextrous in the process. Initially, Moraz wished to be an anthropologist and learned to speak Greek and Latin. Instead he chose to pursue music and studied in Lausanne at the Lausanne Conservatory, where he studied with Clara Haskil and, while in Paris, Nadia Boulanger. At sixteen, Moraz became the youngest person to receive the Best Soloist award at the Zurich jazz festival. Moraz went on to win awards at the festival, as a solo artist or in his jazz groups, for five consecutive years. In 1964, Moraz spent his summer in Cadaques, Spain as a scuba diving instructor and spent time with Salvador Dali at his property in Portlligat where he organised and performed at several gatherings for his guests.
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