updated 3 June 2013
© Marie-Sophie Leturcq
© Marie-Sophie Leturcq
Guillaume Connesson
French composer born in 1970 in Boulogne-Billancourt.
Born in France in 1970, Guillaume Connesson studied piano, music history, analysis, and choir conducting at the Conservatoire national de région de Boulogne-Billancourt and orchestration at the Conservatoire national supérieur de Paris. In parallel to his studies, he was mentored by Marcel Landowski. He teaches orchestration at the Conservatoire national de région d’Aubervilliers.
In 1998, he was awarded the Prix Cardin by the Institut de France for Supernova, and in 1999 he won the Prix Nadia et Lili Boulanger. In 2000, he won the SACEM’s Young Composer Prize, and in 2001 was awarded a fellowship from the Fondation Natexis. In 2006, he won the Grand prix lycéen des compositeurs. In 2011, the SACEM awarded him its Grand Prix for lifetime achievement.
His neotonal compositions are regularly performed by renowned English and American orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He was a composer-in-residence with the Orchestre de Pau from 2009 to 2011.
Most of his works are commissions: for example, Supernova (Orchestre Philharmonique de Montpellier, 1997), Athanor (Chœur et Orchestre national de France 2004), Une lueur dans l’âge sombre (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, 2005), and Aleph (Miami New World Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra).
Sources
Site Internet de Guillaume Connesson (voir ressources).
- Solo (excluding voice)
- Initials Dances for piano (2001), 9 mn, Billaudot
- Toccata for harp (2003), 5 mn, Billaudot
- La Solitaire for viola da gamba (2004), 4 mn, Inédit
- Riffs for trumpet (2004), 1 mn 45 s, Inédit
- L’île de Paques prelude for piano (2006), 2 mn, Billaudot
- Chamber music
- Disco-toccata for clarinet and cello (1994), 2 mn, Salabert
- Double Quatuor (1994), 8 mn, Salabert
- Deux Images antiques for ensemble (1996), 12 mn, Billaudot
- Jurassic Trip, "Six miniatures préhistoriques" for ensemble (1998), 17 mn, Salabert
- Sextuor (1998), 12 mn, Billaudot
- Le rire de Saraï for flute and piano (2001), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Techno-parade for flute, clarinet and piano (2002), 5 mn, Billaudot
- Toccata nocturne for flute and cello (2002), 3 mn, Billaudot
- Constellation de la Couronne Boréale for viola and piano (2005), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Les Chants de l’Atlantide three pieces for violin and piano (2007), 12 mn, Billaudot
- Les Chants de l’Agartha three pieces for cello and piano (2008), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Quatuor à cordes (2010), 12 mn, Billaudot
- Agora three pieces for brass quintet (2011), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Constellation de Couronne Australe for viola and piano (2011), 5 mn, Billaudot
- Prélude et Funk clarinet quartet (2011), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Instrumental ensemble music
- Oniris for orchestra (1991), 14 mn, Choudens
- Night-Club for chamber orchestra (1996), 12 mn, Salabert
- "Trilogie cosmique" - Supernova for orchestra (1997), 16 mn, Salabert
- Feux d’artifice for orchestra (1998), 8 mn, Billaudot
- Remix educational music, for string orchestra and six percussionists (1998), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Enluminures for orchestra (1999), 14 mn, Salabert
- L’Aurore music for the film by Murnau (1999), 2 h 20 mn, Salabert
- Scènes Nocturnes for string orchestra (2001), 12 mn, Hapax
- "Trilogie cosmique" - Une lueur dans l’âge sombre for orchestra (2005), 20 mn, Billaudot
- "Trilogie cosmique" - Aleph for orchestra (2007), 9 mn, Billaudot
- The Ship of Ishtar for string orchestra (2009), 15 mn, Billaudot
- stage Lucifer ballet in two acts (2011), 37 mn, Billaudot
- Maslenitsa for orchestra (2011), 8 mn, Billaudot
- Flammenschrift for orchestra (2012)
- Concertant music
- Yu Yan for erhu and orchestra (2007), 7 mn, Billaudot
- Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre (2008), 25 mn, Billaudot
- Constellations concerto for viola and orchestra (2009), 14 mn, Billaudot
- The Shining One concerto for piano and orchestra (2009), 10 mn, Billaudot
- Concerto pour piano (2013)
- Vocal music and instrument(s)
- Et un sourire educational music, for children's choir and string orchestra (1998), 10 mn, Salabert
- De l’Espérance for soprano and piano (1999), 5 mn, Billaudot
- Liturgies de l’ombre for soprano and orchestra (2000), 40 mn, Billaudot
- Nuit obscure for baritone and piano (2000), 5 mn, Inédit
- I'll not weep for contralto and piano (2001), 6 mn, Billaudot
- Le Livre de l’amour for mezzo-soprano and orchestra (2001), 20 mn, Inédit
- My sweet sister for mezzo-soprano and piano (2001), 5 mn, Billaudot
- Athanor for soprano, baritone, mixed choir and orchestra (2003), 45 mn, Billaudot
- Au commencement for children's choir and ensemble (2004), 15 mn, Billaudot
- Medea for soprano, clarinet, cello and piano (2004), 30 mn, Billaudot
- La cathédrale aux étoiles cantata in three tableaux for mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra (2006), 30 mn, Billaudot
- Sphaera for choir and orchestra (2006), 14 mn, Billaudot
- Musique pour Oscar for seven children's a cappella choirs or with instrumental accompaniment (2007), 15 mn, Billaudot
- stage Musique pour Oscar music for the play Oscar et la dame rose by Eric Emmanuel Schmitt for children's choir, harp and cello (2007), 30 mn, Billaudot
- Trois merveilles du monde for baritone and piano (2008), 11 mn, Billaudot
- Sphaera version for choir, piano for four hands and three percussionists (2010), 14 mn, Billaudot
- Timouk musical tale for narrator and five instruments (2010), 30 mn, Billaudot
- Vivre for soprano and piano (2010), 12 mn, Billaudot
- Kaléidoscope for soprano, alto and ensemble (2023), Billaudot [program note]
- A cappella vocal music
- Laudate Pueri for six-part mixed choir (2002), 5 mn, Billaudot
- Deux chœurs for four-part women's choir (2005), 5 mn, Billaudot
- Funeratio for four-part mixed choir (2011), 5 mn, Billaudot
- 2023
- Kaléidoscope for soprano, alto and ensemble, Billaudot [program note]
- 2013
- 2012
- Flammenschrift for orchestra
- 2011
- Agora three pieces for brass quintet, 10 mn, Billaudot
- Constellation de Couronne Australe for viola and piano, 5 mn, Billaudot
- Funeratio for four-part mixed choir, 5 mn, Billaudot
- stage Lucifer ballet in two acts, 37 mn, Billaudot
- Maslenitsa for orchestra, 8 mn, Billaudot
- Prélude et Funk clarinet quartet, 10 mn, Billaudot
- 2010
- Quatuor à cordes, 12 mn, Billaudot
- Sphaera version for choir, piano for four hands and three percussionists, 14 mn, Billaudot
- Timouk musical tale for narrator and five instruments, 30 mn, Billaudot
- Vivre for soprano and piano, 12 mn, Billaudot
- 2009
- Constellations concerto for viola and orchestra, 14 mn, Billaudot
- The Shining One concerto for piano and orchestra, 10 mn, Billaudot
- The Ship of Ishtar for string orchestra, 15 mn, Billaudot
- 2008
- Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre, 25 mn, Billaudot
- Les Chants de l’Agartha three pieces for cello and piano, 10 mn, Billaudot
- Trois merveilles du monde for baritone and piano, 11 mn, Billaudot
- 2007
- "Trilogie cosmique" - Aleph for orchestra, 9 mn, Billaudot
- Les Chants de l’Atlantide three pieces for violin and piano, 12 mn, Billaudot
- Musique pour Oscar for seven children's a cappella choirs or with instrumental accompaniment, 15 mn, Billaudot
- stage Musique pour Oscar music for the play Oscar et la dame rose by Eric Emmanuel Schmitt for children's choir, harp and cello, 30 mn, Billaudot
- Yu Yan for erhu and orchestra, 7 mn, Billaudot
- 2006
- La cathédrale aux étoiles cantata in three tableaux for mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra, 30 mn, Billaudot
- L’île de Paques prelude for piano, 2 mn, Billaudot
- Sphaera for choir and orchestra, 14 mn, Billaudot
- 2005
- "Trilogie cosmique" - Une lueur dans l’âge sombre for orchestra, 20 mn, Billaudot
- Constellation de la Couronne Boréale for viola and piano, 10 mn, Billaudot
- Deux chœurs for four-part women's choir, 5 mn, Billaudot
- 2004
- Au commencement for children's choir and ensemble, 15 mn, Billaudot
- La Solitaire for viola da gamba, 4 mn, Inédit
- Medea for soprano, clarinet, cello and piano, 30 mn, Billaudot
- Riffs for trumpet, 1 mn 45 s, Inédit
- 2003
- 2002
- Laudate Pueri for six-part mixed choir, 5 mn, Billaudot
- Techno-parade for flute, clarinet and piano, 5 mn, Billaudot
- Toccata nocturne for flute and cello, 3 mn, Billaudot
- 2001
- I'll not weep for contralto and piano, 6 mn, Billaudot
- Initials Dances for piano, 9 mn, Billaudot
- Le Livre de l’amour for mezzo-soprano and orchestra, 20 mn, Inédit
- Le rire de Saraï for flute and piano, 10 mn, Billaudot
- My sweet sister for mezzo-soprano and piano, 5 mn, Billaudot
- Scènes Nocturnes for string orchestra, 12 mn, Hapax
- 2000
- Liturgies de l’ombre for soprano and orchestra, 40 mn, Billaudot
- Nuit obscure for baritone and piano, 5 mn, Inédit
- 1999
- De l’Espérance for soprano and piano, 5 mn, Billaudot
- Enluminures for orchestra, 14 mn, Salabert
- L’Aurore music for the film by Murnau, 2 h 20 mn, Salabert
- 1998
- Et un sourire educational music, for children's choir and string orchestra, 10 mn, Salabert
- Feux d’artifice for orchestra, 8 mn, Billaudot
- Jurassic Trip, "Six miniatures préhistoriques" for ensemble, 17 mn, Salabert
- Remix educational music, for string orchestra and six percussionists, 10 mn, Billaudot
- Sextuor, 12 mn, Billaudot
- 1997
- "Trilogie cosmique" - Supernova for orchestra, 16 mn, Salabert
- 1996
- Deux Images antiques for ensemble, 12 mn, Billaudot
- Night-Club for chamber orchestra, 12 mn, Salabert
- 1994
- Disco-toccata for clarinet and cello, 2 mn, Salabert
- Double Quatuor, 8 mn, Salabert
- 1991
- Oniris for orchestra, 14 mn, Choudens
Site Internet
- Site personnel de Guillaume Connesson : https://www.guillaumeconnesson.net
- Centre de documentation de la musique contemporaine : www.cdmc.asso.fr
- Éditions Billaudot : www.billaudot.com
- ÉditionsSalabert : www.durand-salabert-eschig.com
(liens vérifiés en mai 2013).
Discographie
- Guillaume CONNESSON, Laudate pueri, dans « Vêpres pour Sainte Marie Madeleine », chœur Arsys Bourgogne, direction : Pierre Cao, 1 cd Accord, 2006.
- Guillaume CONNESSON, I. Athanor ; II. Supernova, Viriginie Pesch : soprano, Nigel Smith : baryton, Chœur de Radio France, direction : Philip White, Orchestre national de France, direction : Jonathan Darlington (I), Muhai Tang (II), 1 cd Densité 21, 2006.
- Guillaume CONNESSON, « Techno-parade » : Techno-parade ; Initials Dances ; Double Quatuor ; Le rire de Saraï ; Disco-Toccata ; Sextuor ; Toccata-Nocturne ; Jurassic Trip, Éric Le Sage, Frank Braley : piano, Mathieu Dufour : flûte, Paul Meyer : clarinette, Xavier Phillips : violoncelle, François Meyer : hautbois, Quatuor Parisii, Philippe Berrod : clarinette basse, François Miquel : clarinette basse, Virginie Reibel : flûte, Dominique Desjardins : contrebasse, Emmanuel Curt : percussion, Fabrice Coccitto : synthétiseur, 1 cd + 1 dvd (avec clip et interview) BMG - MFA, 2005.