A French pianist, composer and arranger born November 14, 1943 in Vaires-sur-Marne.
A pianist by training, Jean-Claude Petit studied at the Paris Conservatory before turning towards jazz and accompanying notably Dexter Gordon and Kenny Clarke. He then turned to popular song, becoming an arranger, orchestrator and composer for Julien Clerc, Gilbert Bécaud, Serge Lama, Claude François and others. He has also collaborated with stage musicals (La Révolution française; 36 Front populaire) and has conducted leading classical orchestras (London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, etc.).
From the 1980s, film music (including Jean de Florette, 1986; Manon des sources, 1986; Cyrano de Bergerac, 1990; Podium, 2004; Hotel Normandy, 2012), a less strict medium of expression, offered him consecration, particularly with a ‘César’, two ‘Victoires de la musique’ and collaborations with directors such as Claude Berri, Jean-Paul Rappenau, Henri Verneuil. He has also written incidental music for the stage and for the revue Bonheur at the Lido, Paris. Ever in search of freedom and autonomy, he also composed two operas: Sans famille and Colomba, premiered respectively at the Nice Opera in 2007 at at the Marseilles Opera in 2014.
In 2013 Jean-Claude Petit succeeded Laurent Petitgirard as president of the board of management of the Sacem.