Géo Voumard
Géo Voumard (2 December 1920 – 3 September 2008) was a Swiss jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival and composer of the song "Refrain" which won the first Eurovision Song Contest.
Also recorded as Geo Voumard · Geo Georges Andre Voumard · Georges Andre Voumard
Géo Voumard
- Name
- Géo Voumard
- Born
- 2 December 1920
- Birthplace
- Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
- Died
- 3 September 2008
- Occupation
- Jazz composer
- Full name
- Georges André Voumard.
- Nationality
- Switzerland.
- Fields
- jazz and hard bop.
- Languages
- German.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Géo Voumard (2 December 1920 – 3 September 2008) was a Swiss jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival and composer of the song "Refrain" which won the first Eurovision Song Contest.
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Géo Voumard (1920–2008) was a composer, jazz musician and journalist, among other activities, of Swiss nationality. The composer was born Georges André Voumard in Biel/Bienne and died in Sion.
The work spans hard bop and jazz. Languages used include German.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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wikidata · Q123718 · wikipedia · Géo Voumard
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Géo Voumard • Born — 2 December 1920 • Birthplace — Biel/Bienne, Switzerland • Died — 3 September 2008 • Instrument — Piano • Occupation — Jazz composer • Past Member Of — Hazy Osterwald Orchestra
Life and career
Life and career
Voumard was born in Biel/Bienne. He originally studied architecture in college before starting his musical career.
Music career
Music career
Voumard joined the Hazy Osterwald Orchestra in 1944. Four years later, in 1948, he created his own group. Voumard began broadcasting out of Radio Lausanne, which is now known as Radio Suisse Romande, in 1952. He originally joined Radio Lausanne as an accompanist, pianist, composer and musical producer. In 1966, Voumard became the station's director of pop music. He later served as Radio Lausanne's director of light entertainment from 1969 until 1983. Voumard founded the Montreux Jazz Festival with René Langel and Claude Nobs in 1967. He co-wrote the very first Eurovision Song Contest winning song, Refrain in 1956. Refrain was co-written by Émile Gardaz. Voumard moved to the Provence region of France following his departure from radio broadcasting in the 1980s. He worked as an architect in France before returning to his native Switzerland for the remainder of his life. Géo Voumard died at the age of 87.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Géo Voumard was recorded at birth as Georges André Voumard. The authorities additionally record the headings Geo Voumard, Geo Georges Andre Voumard and Georges Andre Voumard. His recorded language was German. His recorded confession was reformed.
Identity
Identity
Géo Voumard is recorded as journalist, pianist, songwriter, music arranger and composer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2008
Géo Voumard died at Sion.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Biel/Bienne.
Birth place
Sion.
Death place
Discography
• Flavio Ambrosetti Sextet, 1943 • Geo Voumard Trio With Mers Eddy And His Strings – Piano, Strings And Sound • Géo Voumard – 25 Ans De Jazz, 1953–1977 • Géo Voumard Trio – Geo Voumard Trio • Hazy Osterwald – Big Bands of Europe Vol. Ii, 1946–1948 • Various – The Golden Swing Years, 1942–1947
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
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References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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