Graduating Summa Cum Laude from the Conservatoire de Paris

This year marked the end of the three disciplines that I have been following at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP) : my bachelor cello in the class of Prof. Raphaël Pidoux, my analysis studies in the class of Prof. Thomas Lacôte (classe supérieure d’analyse théorique et appliquée) and the two-year complementary conducting programme in the class of Prof. Rut Schereiner. Following these three subjects (next to other side-subjects such as harmony and contemporary improvisation) has been so enriching and decisive for my musical life, I want to thank my teachers for their inspiration. It feels very rewarding to finish all three of these disciplines with highest honors (Très bien à l’unanimité avec les félicitations du jury).

My bachelor cello exam took place on May 19th, containing works by Bach, Britten and Penderecki, as well as a short composition of mine. For the analysis exam I wrote my first academic paper (called “Language, structure and dramaturgy: the motif in Janáček’s Diary of One Who Vanished”), accompanied by a thesis defense presentation and an analysis test for which I had one hour to analyse an imposed piece (in my case a movement from Edgar Varese’s Octandre). To finish the conducting program, I conducted the first movement of Chopins Piano Concerto no. 2 with pianist Antonin Bonnet and the Orchestre des Lauréats du Conservatoire (CNSMDP alumni orchestra), that I have had the privilege to conduct during four intensive weeks over these past two years. Next year, I will continue my master cello in Paris and I will start a new main discipline as well : harmony!