LA FOLLE JOURNEE DE VARSOVIE

A graduate of the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, which he finished in first place in the class of Philippe Muller, David Geringas and Natalie Gutman. Julien Lazignac then went on to refine his art with Raphaël Pidoux and his chamber music skills with Daria Hovora, Alain Meunier and Jean Mouillère. Together with Besa Cane and Matthieu Stefanelli, Lazignac is the founding member of Trio Métabole, with which he recorded its first album of Albanian classical music. He has continued his education at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris with musical partners Claire Désert, Ami Flammer and Yovan Markovitch under the guidance of Jeana-Claude Pennetier, Alain Planès and Peter Cropper. Lazignac has obtained grants from the Charles Oulmont Foundation and from AMOPA. He was hailed “Classical Revelation of 2008” by ADAMI (The Society for Collective Administration of Performers’ Rights). He has distinguished himeself at internmational competitons, including the Witold Lutosławski competition and the International Competition in San Sebastian. Playing together with pianist Kanae Endo, he received the Grand Prix of the Music Forum in Normandy. He has been invited to play as soloist with the Polish Radio Orchestra, Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence and the Orchestre Musique en Seine. He has also performed on major concert stages, including the Salle Gaveau in Paris and on concert stages in Warsaw. He also participated in numerous festivals, including the Présences ou Musiques dans les vignes. Lazignac is a great admirer of contemporary music. It was to him that composer Matthieu Stefanelli dedicated Paraphrase Antique – sur le mythe du Dieu Pan for solo cello and orchestra. The work received its premiere performance in March 2009.

PIERROT LUNAIRE

Thanks to its avant-garde character combined with a modern sound, Pierrot Lunaire has provided worldwide fame for Schönberg. In the 20^th century it has also inspired such works as Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Boulez’ Le marteau sans maître (The Hammer Without a Master). The work achieved instant success. It has since been considered a masterpiece and Roland Manuel has thus expressed his admiration: “The incomparable colour of the music in Pierrot Lunaire, an expressive image of a nightmare unfolds before us, a rending cruelty which switches instantly from irony to sobs, from terror to tenderness, a source of exquisite beauty […].”