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Guillaume Connesson

Guillaume CONNESSON

Guillaume Connesson, born in 1970, is currently one of the most widely performed French composers worldwide. Commissions are at the origin of most of his works (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre National de France...) including Pour sortir au jour, commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (2013) and Les Trois Cités de Lovecraft (co-commission of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Lyon). Moreover, his music is regularly played by numerous orchestras (Brussels Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra et al.)


He won 2 Victoires de la Musique award in 2015 and 2019 as well as Sacem’s Grand Prize in 2012.
His discography includes, amongst others, two monographs of chamber music and three symphonic monographs on the Deutsche Grammophon label. The first, Lucifer, obtained a ’ Choc’ from Classica magazine, the second, Pour sortir au jour, numerous critical distinctions such as the ’Diapason d’Or de l’Année’ as well the Classica ’Choc de l’Année’, and the third, Lost Horizon, was released in April 2019.


After studies at the Conservatoire National de Région in Boulogne-Billancourt (his birthplace) and the Paris Conservatoire, he obtained premiers prix in choral direction, history of music, analysis, electro-acoustic and orchestration. He has been professor of orchestration at the Aubervilliers-La Courneuve Conservatory since 1997.


In residence from 2016 to 2018 with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra as well as with the Orchestre National de Lyon. From 2019 to 2021 he will be in residence with the Orchestre national d’Ile-de-France.


Residencies:
Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France (2019-2021)
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (2017-2018)
Orchestre National de Lyon (2016-2018)
Associate composer of the Brussels Philharmonic (2016-)
Orchestre de Pau Pays de Béarn (2010-2012)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra (2005-2007)
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire (1999-2003)


Awards:
Victoire de la Musique Classique, composer of the Year (2019)
Victoire de la Musique Classique, composer of the Year (2015)
Grand Prize for Symphonic Music, Sacem (2012)
Grand Prix Lycéen des compositeurs (2006)
Nadia and Lili Boulanger Prize, Institut de France (1999)
Cardin Prize, Institut de France (1998)


-----------------------------------2017


> Premieres


09/07/17
LE TOMBEAU DES REGRETS, for orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra - Cond.: Stéphane Denève
Bravo Vail Music Festival! - Vail (Colorado) - USA


13/10/17
LES CITES DE LOVECRAFT, for orchestra
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra - Cond.: Marc Albrecht
TivoliVredenburg - Utrecht - Netherlands


> News


- CD release: Scènes de la vie contemporaine, for 2 clarinets, by Béatrice Berne and Jean-Marc Fessard, for the label Kairos / Clarinet Classics - CC0071.


-----------------------------------2018


> Premieres


01/03/18
LITURGIES DE LUMIERE, cantata for choir and chamber orchestra
Texts by Charles Van Lerberghe and Hildegarde von Bingen
Nederlands Kamerkoor - Nederlands Kamerorkest
Cond.: Risto Joost
Grote Sint-Laurenskerk - Alkmaar - Netherlands


12/04/18
EIRENE, for orchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Cond.: Daniele Gatti
Concertgebouw - Amsterdam - Netherlands


17/06/18
TROIS JARDINS, for 7 cellos
Classe d’excellence de violoncelle de la Fondation Louis Vuitton - Cond.: Gautier Capuçon
Auditorium de la Fondation Louis Vuitton - Paris - France


14/09/18
LES HORIZONS PERDUS, for violin and orchestra
Brussels Philharmonic - Vl.: Renaud Capuçon
Cond.: Stéphane Denève
Bruxelles - Belgique


> News


- Composer in residence at the Orchestre national de Lyon during the 2017-2018 season.


- Composer in residence at The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2017-2018 season.


- CD release (2 discs), by Sergey and Ayako Tanaka (violins), Lise Berthaud (viola), Jérôme Pernoo (cello) and Jérôme Ducros (piano), for the label Sony Classical -19075818792.
> CD 1: Techno-parade for flute, clarinet and piano, Initials Dances for piano, Le rire de Saraï for flute and piano, Sextuor for clarinet, oboe, flute, viola, double bass and piano, and Toccata-nocturne for flute and cello.
> CD 2: Les Chants de l’Agartha for cello and piano, Constellations for viola and piano, Les Chants de l’Atlantide for violin and piano, Adams Variations for clarinet, violin, cello and piano, and Quatuor à cordes.


-----------------------------------2019


> Premieres


09/06/19
CELEBRATION DE LA LUMIERE, for organ
Michel Bourcier
Abbaye - Sylvanès - France


16/06/19
TROIS IMAGES LORRAINES, for violins
CRR de Metz Metropole Gabriel-Pierné
Arsenal - Metz - France


> News


- Box CD release (2 discs): Les cités de Lovecraft for orchestra, A kind of Trane for saxophone and orchestra, Les horizons perdus for violin and orchestra, and Le Tombeau des Regrets for orchestra, by Timothy McAllister (saxophone), Renaud Capuçon (violin), and the Brussels Philharmonic, under the direction of Stéphane Denève, for the label Deutsche Grammophon - 4818042.


- Victoires de la Musique Classique 2019: Composer of the year.
Les Horizons Perdus, for violin and orchestra
 Brussels Philharmonic - Vl.: Renaud Capuçon - Cond.: Stéphane Denève
 14/09/18: Brussels - Belgium.


-----------------------------------2020


> Premieres


24/01/20
LES BAINS MACABRES, comic opera in 4 acts
Libretto by Olivier Bleys
Orchestre des Frivolités Parisiennes
Sandrine Buendia (Célia), Romain Dayez (Mathéo), Fabien Hyon (Nestor), Anna Destraël (Miranda) et Geoffroy Buffière (Prosper)
Cond.: Arie van Beek
Staging: Florent Siaud
Théâtre Impérial - Compiègne - France

See all works composed by Guillaume CONNESSON

Concerts

Creations

Works composed by Guillaume CONNESSON

See all works composed by Guillaume CONNESSON

Discography

> 2019 / Indésens INDE125 - A Kind of Wind
A KIND OF TRANE, for saxophone and piano
Nicolas Prost (saxophone) - Delphine Armand (piano)


> 2019 / Deutsche Grammophon 4818042 - Lost Horizon (2 CD)
LES CITES DE LOVECRAFT, for orchestra
 A KIND OF TRANE, for saxophone and orchestra
 LES HORIZONS PERDUS, for violin and orchestra
 LE TOMBEAU DES REGRETS, for orchestra

Brussels Philharmonic - Timothy McAllister (saxophone) - Renaud Capuçon (violin) - Stéphane Denève (conductor)


> 2017 / SonyClassical 19075818792 - Musique de chambre (2 CDs)
TECHNO-PARADE, for flute, clarinet and piano
 INITIALS DANCES, for piano
 LE RIRE DE SARAÏ, for flute and piano
 SEXTUOR, for clarinet, oboe, flute, viola, double bass and piano
 TOCCATA-NOCTURNE, for flute and cello
 LES CHANTS DE L’AGARTHA, for cello and piano
 CONSTELLATIONS, for viola and piano
 LES CHANTS DE L’ATLANTIDE, for violin and piano
 ADAMS VARIATIONS, for clarinet, violin, cello and piano
 QUATUOR A CORDES

Sergey et Ayako Tanaka (violins) - Lise Berthaud (viola) - Jérôme Pernoo (cello) - Jérôme Ducros (piano)


> 2016 / Kairos / Clarinet Classics CC0071 - French Clarinet Exports
SCENES DE LA VIE CONTEMPORAINE, for 2 clarinets
Béatrice Berne and Jean-Marc Fessard (clarinets)


ALEPH, for orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra, dir: Stéphane Denève
Cosmic Trilogy / The Shining one - CHANDOS Records, CHSA 5076


ATHANOR, for soprano, baryton, mixed choir and orchestra
Sop: Virginie Pesch
Bar: Nigel Smith
Orchestre National de France
Choeur de Radio France
Choir dir: Philip White / dir: Jonathan Darlington
Radio France / Densité 21 - DE OO4


CONCERTINO POUR PIANO, for piano and chamber orchestra
Ragna Schirmer, piano
Ensemble Dacuore
Berlin Classics 0300554BC


CONSTELLATION DE LACOURONNE AUSTRALE, for viola and piano
 CONSTELLATION DE LA COURONNE BOREALE, for viola and piano
Lise Berthaud, viola
Jérôme Ducros, piano
”Collection Pierre Bergé” / CPB 12-004


LES CHANTS DE L’AGARTHA, for cello and piano
Jérôme Pernoo, cello
Jérôme Ducros, piano
”Collection Pierre Bergé” / CPB 12-004


LES CHANTS DE L’ATLANTIDE, for violin and piano
Sergey Malov, violin
Jérôme Ducros, piano
”Collection Pierre Bergé” / CPB 12-004


PRELUDE ET FUNK, pour quatuor de clarinettes
Quatuor Vendôme
Indesens Records / Inde044


QUATUOR A CORDES / String quartet
Sergey Malov, violin
Ayako Tanaka, violin
Lise Berthaud, viola
Jérôme Pernoo, cello
 ”Collection Pierre Bergé” / CPB 12-004


THE SHINING ONE, for piano and orchestra
Eric Le Sage, piano
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Dir: Stéphane Denève
Cosmic Trilogy / The Shining one - CHANDOS Records, CHSA 5076


UNE LUEUR DANS L’AGE SOMBRE, for symphonic orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Dir: Stéphane Denève
Cosmic Trilogy / The Shining one – CHANDOS, Records CHSA 5076


LUCIFER, for orchestra
 CONCERTO POUR VIOLONCELLE, for cello and orchestra

Jérôme Pernoo, cello
Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo
Jean-Christophe Spinosi, conducting
 Lucifer - Deutsche Grammophon DG 481 1166


POUR SORTIR AU JOUR, concerto for flute and orchestra
 E CHIARO NELLA VALLE IL FIUME APPARE, for orchestra
 MASLENITSA, for orchestra
 FLAMMENSCHRIFT, for orchestra

Mathieu Dufour, flute
Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra
Stéphane Denève, conducting
 Pour sortir au jour - Deutsche Grammophon DG 481 2711