Henri Koch

François-Henri Koch , born with Liege the July 10th 1903, deceased in Liege the June 2nd 1969, was a Belgian violonist.

His/her father, an industrialist, entrusts it to Jean Quitin, violin-solo of the royal Théâtre of Liege so that it can present to the contest admission in a class of the royal Conservatoire of Liege. In 1914, it is allowed in the class of Marcel Lejeune, then repeater of the professor Oscar Dossin (1857-1949). The first prices are quickly conquered: musical theory in 1917, violin in 1918, chamber music in 1920, history of the music (1921) and harmonizes (1922).

In 1923, Henri Koch obtains the medal of vermeil of violin. He also works with the orchestra of the royal Theater. He will become about it the first violin-solo a few years later (of 1925 to 1938). Its military service with the 1st Regiment of the Guides, to Brussels, occurs in major part to the Symphonie , which the band master Prévot directs.

In parallel and since 1919, Koch holds the part of second violin in the String quartet of Marcel Lejeune. Henri Koch leaves for Paris in 1923. He works there with Maurice Hayot (1862-1945).

He takes down an engagement with the " Radiola" , private transmitting station of radio. It is then committed on several occasions as concert performer by more important Parisian stations.

It is at this time that its true career of virtuoso starts, punctuated by the attribution of the " Kreisler" price; in 1928. In 1924, it belongs to the Quartet of Liege with Jean Rogister, Joseph Beck and Lydia Rogister-Schor. During 15 years this quartet occurs in Europe and in the United States. In 1928 Koch directs a class of violin to the academy of Liege, then of 1932 to 1967 he is professor with the royal Academy of Liege.

August 8th, 1929, he marries Emma Antoine, the grand-daughter of the industrialist Adolphe Eymael. They will have two wire: Henri Emmanuel Koch (June 4th, 1930), also violonist, and Louis (April 1st, 1934). From 1939 to 1944, Henri Koch is professor with the musical Chapelle Queen Elizabeth in Brussels and first violin of the Quartet of the Queen. First violin-solo in the concerts of the Academy of Liege since 1934, of the Philharmonic orchestra of Liege (1947 to 1969), of the Soloists of Liege (chamber orchestra founded in 1957), Henri Koch knows a career filled well and rich in success.

By raising a bust to him (by the Viscount Jacques de Biolley, in September 1972) very close to those of Eugene Ysaÿe, with César Thomson, Ovide Musin and Hector Clokers, by giving its name to a street of Liege (1976), its birthplace honoured not only one with the purest representatives of the school inhabitant of Li2ege of violin, but also a noble-hearted man and a large artist.

Its grandson Philippe Koch is first Konzertmeister of the Philharmonic orchestra of the Luxembourg and his/her back-small-girl Laurence Koch is also an international violonist.

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