Marc Verrière, founder of the Olympic Arts
Marc Verrière is the founder of the Olympic Arts. A music producer who founded the World Philharmonic Orchestra in 1984, he conceived the Olympic Arts and registered their trademarks with INPI (the French intellectual property office) in 1992, then had their Charter signed at UNESCO in 1995 by cultural figures from 65 countries.
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“The universal power of beauty and art can move the world forward and bring forth a world in which harmony is the ultimate value.”
— Marc Verrière, Founding President. His original words are published on the olymp-arts.world website (external site, opens in a new tab).
Distinctions
- UNICEF Medal of Recognition (1985)
- Grand Prix du Disque (Académie Charles Cros / 1986)
- Honorary Professor of Xi’an Peihua University (2025 / China)
Career
Key milestones:
- Education
- Law studies; graduate of the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Cnam), Paris. Training in law, literature and music.
- 1977-1981
- Chairman and CEO of a management company in Paris.
- 1982-1983
- Producer and artistic adviser at Radio France (France Musique, France Culture, France Inter) and for several private radio stations.
- 1983
- Records and produces the official anthem of the first European Games for athletes with disabilities, composed by Françoise Legrand.
- 1983-1984
- Producer of public and private concerts.
- 1984
- Founds the World Philharmonic Orchestra, which had 82 member countries in 2007. Inaugural concerts in Sweden (1985), Brazil (1986), Japan (1987) and Canada (1988); in Paris in June 2006 for the 25th anniversary of the Fête de la Musique.
- 1988
- In Montreal, produces the first satellite synchronisation between the World Philharmonic Orchestra and three choirs, in Moscow, Geneva and San Francisco.
- 1990
- Music producer of the opening of the International Garden and Greenery Exposition in Osaka, Japan (“Tistou of the Green Thumbs”, by Maurice Druon).
- 1992
- Rediscovers the ancient arts olympiad and conceives the Olympic Arts.
- 1995
- The Olympic Arts are established at UNESCO in Paris on 10 and 11 July, by cultural figures from 65 countries.
- 1996-1997
- Writes a biography of Paul Robert, creator of the Robert dictionary.
- 1999-2002
- Creates an international directory of symphony orchestra musicians: 35,693 registered members as of 1 January 2015.
- 2005-2011
- Manages music scholarships offered to children at World Philharmonic Orchestra concerts in India, Romania, Thailand, Tunisia and Venezuela.