Biography
Jean-Claude Petit is a French composer, arranger and conductor. Born on 14 November 1943 in Vaires-sur-Marne, he studied harmony and counterpoint at the Conservatoire de Paris after accompanying jazz musicians in his youth.
He worked as an arranger for French pop and jazz recordings in the 1960s and 1970s, including string arrangements for Mink DeVille, and served as a ghostwriter for film composer Michel Magne. Petit began receiving film credits in the 1980s. His scores include Jean de Florette (1986), Manon of the Spring (1986), The Return of the Musketeers (1989) and Cyrano de Bergerac (1990). The latter earned him a César Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. He has also been credited as a member of the disco group Santa Esmeralda.
