Residence and composition Academy

Thierry Escaich, our composer in residence

A composer, organist and improviser, Thierry Escaich is unique on the contemporary musical stage, and he is one of the major representatives of the new generation of French composers. His works are part of the repertoire of the major orchestras in Europe and also in the USA. They are performed by famous musicians like Valery Gergiev, Paavo Järvi, Alan Gilbert, Alain Altinoglu, Louis Langrée, Lisa Batiashvili and François Leleux, Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Emmanuelle Bertrand and Paul Meyer. Thierry Escaich has received four Victoires de la Musique, in 2003, 2006, 2011 and 2017. He has been teaching improvisation and composition at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) where he was awarded 8 first prizes. In 2013 he was elected member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts of Institut de France.

Why artists in residence ?

To have the composer Thierry Escaich in residence  for four years is a way for the  Festival des Forêts to pursue and to widen the creation and the knowledge of today’s music.  Thierry Escaich is the successor of Philippe Hersant who himself succeeded to Nicolas Bacri.

Three main axes for the residence :

1. Performing the composer’s works, whether creations or interpretation of existing works,
2. Animating a composing Academy and a master class,
3. Organizing conferences for the audience called “Préludes au Concert”, or just unformal meetings with the artists.

Léo Delibes composing Academy

It was created in 2019 during the residence of Thierry Escaich for a small number of advanced composition students or for young composers starting their carreer. Its aim is to enlighten the work of the students and to allow its transmission by a renowned artist.

During 5 days, the participants (3 to 5) can meet Thierry Escaich and compose a short work (2 to 5’) under his supervision. This year, Quatuor Ellipsos will participate. .

The works written during this period will be performed by Quatuor Ellipsos within the festival’s programme

The participation to the Academy is free. The participants are hosted at Villa du Châtelet ( house where Léo Delibes lived) in Choisy-au-Bac near Compiègne, thanks to the owners Alix and Philippe de Lauzanne. Housing and meals are paid by the Festival des Forêts. The cost of the trip to get to the Academy is the participants’ responsibility.

* House where Léo Delibes lived