Category Archives: Non classé

Trio of cello, voice and organ: Mari Akagawa – Marie Faucqueur – Nicolas Lhoste

It was an encounter that led Mari Akagawa to France, where she continued to explore the learning of her favorite instrument, the cello, which she had begun at the age of 12 in her native Japan.

Her path crossed that of Reine Flachot (1922-1998) in Tokyo, and with it an imminent departure for the École Normale de Musique de Paris, where she continued her musical studies before moving on to the Paul Dukas Conservatoire in the 12th arrondissement, the CRR de Versailles and finally the CRD de Chartres, the town that “adopted” her, so to speak, and where she obtained her DEM.

Her curiosity has always been keen, and her taste for early music is increasingly assertive, leading her to train in Baroque cello with Hendrike Ter Brugge and Antoine Ladrette at the CRD de la Vallée de Chevreuse.

At the same time, another passion emerged: teaching and pedagogy, thanks to Odile Bourin (author of various cello methods). She was able to set up several cello classes in various municipal music schools in the Eure-et-Loir region, and organize meetings, masterclasses and workshops.
and organize encounters, masterclasses and workshops for students from the department.

Mari Akagawa is an artist rich in desires, encounters and talents. She plays equally well with chamber music groups, chamber orchestras and symphony orchestras, and enjoys creating and performing with dancers, storytellers and actors, or accompanying poetry readings with her two cellos, which are always with her.

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Marie Faucqueur has been conducting amateur and professional orchestras of all kinds for over fifteen years, from symphonic phalanxes to orchestras d’harmonie.

Initially trained by Jean-Marc Cochereau and Claude Kesmaecker, she joined Nicolas Brochot’s class at the Évry departmental conservatory, graduating with a 1st prize in Orchestral Conducting and a Diplôme d’État in Ensemble Conducting.
From the Orchestre d’Harmonie Français to the Brass Band Exo Brass, via the Ensemble Harmonique de Rungis and the Vents d’automne project (Paris-Saclay), she is deeply attached to the wind band repertoire, which she has taken beyond French borders on tours of Italy and Portugal. With a 1st Prize in Counterpoint (obtained unanimously by the jury) and a 1st Prize in Harmony, Marie Faucqueur has never ceased to enrich this repertoire with arrangements and orchestrations created especially for the ensembles she conducts.

Organist, student of François-Henri Houbart and holder of a Diplôme d’État in early instruments (organ specialty), she won the Gaston Litaize Grand Prix at the Duruflé-Litaize International Organ Competition in 2006. Trained in Éric Lebrun’s class at the CRR de St-Maur-des-Fossés, she was unanimously awarded the 1st Prix de Perfectionnement in 2009, with congratulations from the jury. She also studied with Marie Claire Alain, Michel Chapuis, Michelle Leclerc, Pierre Pincemaille, François Espinasse, Pierre Méa and Henri-Franck Beaupérin. This excellent training naturally led him to Paris: first at the Chapelle St Vincent-de-Paul (Paris VI), then at the organ of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Grandes-Carrières (Paris XVIII).

A poly-instrumentalist and harmonium player for over 20 years, in 2013 she founded the Taramonium Project with Philippe Dourneau and Hidéhiko Kan. In 2020, the trio, which flirts with jazz, recorded “Teatime in Louville“. A first CD that integrates the harmonium in a resolutely modern perspective, through original compositions created by the trio.

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Nicolas Lhoste began singing at the age of 8 with the “Maîtrise de la Cathédrale de Chartres”, and went on to train with other choirs such as the “Maîtrise des Hauts de Seine” and the “Chœur d’enfants de l’Opéra National de Paris”. He took part in operas with children’s voices (Paillasse, Werther, Turandot, Wozzeck, Tosca, Boris Godounov, La Bohème, etc.).
As a male voice, he sings in various groups, including the “Chœur de l’Armée Française” and the “Chœur Français d’Opéra”. He is regularly engaged as an extra in France’s opera houses (Opéra de Montpellier, Opéra de Strasbourg, Opéra de Tours), working with leading names in the profession (François-René Duchable, Roberto Alagna, Karine Deshayes, Ton Koopman, Alain Altinoglu, Michael Schønwandt, Jean-Claude Casadessus, etc.).

Particularly attracted to the early music and oratorio repertoires, he has taken part in numerous concerts and recordings with vocal and instrumental ensembles. In 1994, he founded a male vocal ensemble specializing in early music.
In 2006, the rector of Chartres Cathedral entrusted him with the post of cantor, and he became musical director and administrator for all the cathedral’s concerts, a position he will hold until 2023. From 2019, he will lead the Maîtrise de la cathédrale de Chartres choir for 4 years, directing the children’s and adult choristers in major liturgical celebrations, concerts and tours. In opera singing, he studied with baritone Jean-Philippe Lafont for 4 years.
Today, Nicolas Lhoste performs in ensembles of varying sizes, ranging from medieval music (Ensemble Fulbert) to contemporary works (Ensemble Sequenza93). He is also an additional chorister with the Radio France choir. In the 2024/2025 season, he will debut with the Geneva Opera Choir for 2 operas. He was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in 2015.

Adam TAŃSKI

Adam Tański is a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in the organ class of Prof. Magdalena Czajka and Prof. Jarosław Wróblewski. He also graduated with honours from the Hochschule für Musik in Mainz in the organ class of Prof. Gerhard Gnann and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris in the organ class of Prof. Michel Bouvard and Prof. Olivier Latry. In 2015-2017, Adam Tański was a pedagogue at the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź; currently he lectures the art of organ playing and improvisation at the Diocesan Institute of Church Music in Łomża.

He is a laureate of a special prize at the 5th Feliks Nowowiejski International Organ Competition in Poznań (2015) and the 1st prize at the International Organ Competition “European Baroque Organs” in Katowice (2014). He was also a semi-finalist of the following international organ competitions: Mikael Tariverdiev in Kaliningrad (2013), Leoš Janaček in Brno (2012), J.S. Bach in Wiesbaden (2009).

Adam Tański was a scholarship holder of the Lions Club Warsaw NIKE (2014, 2015), French foundations Meyer and Brieux Ustarizt (2013-2015), Rector of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (2010, 2011) and the Polish Prime Minister (2006, 2007). He gives concerts at festivals in Poland and abroad; he has performed at the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, recitals and organ concerts in Germany, France and Great Britain. In 2017, he received a scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for research work on the historical organ of the Łomża Diocese, whereas in 2018 he carried out an educational project for children focused on the historical organs of the capital city as part of the artistic scholarship of the City of Warsaw.



In addition, Adam Tański is a co-founder and artistic director of the festival Etnosakralia Kurpiowskie, combining organ music with traditional and improvised music; he is also an active composer. His works have been performed in Poland and Germany and in 2018 his first monographic publication containing five pieces for keyboard instruments was released in the publishing series “Biblioteczka Kurpiowska”.

William FIELDING

William Fielding will continue his studies with Oliver Latry and Thomas Ospital at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris from September this year.

William spent three years at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh, then two years with David Graham and Kathron Sturrock at the Royal College of Music (organ and piano), was organist at the Chapel Royal of the Queen of England, Hampton Court Palace, and worked extensively as a collaborative pianist – highlights with his colleagues including a two-piano concert tour to Marbella, Spain, with concert pianist Łukasz Krupinski, and a tour of the Czech Republic with violinist Joel Munday.

William decided in 2020 to immerse himself in the French organ tradition by moving to study with Michel Bouvard (titular organist of the St Sernin Basilica) in Toulouse, and then with Yoann Tardivel, at the Toulouse Conservatoire.
William has enjoyed the opportunities offered to him in Toulouse, in particular a close collaboration with Mark Opstad and the Maîtrise of the Toulouse conservatoire, with whom he has recorded a CD including Maurice Duruflé’s requiem.

William is the choir organist at the Basilica of St Sernin, Toulouse.

Luca AKAEDA SANTESSON

Luca AKAEDA SANTESSON is a young organist born in 2001 in Milan, Italy. Interested in music from a young age, he begins his musical apprenticeship in 2009 in the organ class of Jean-François Hatton at the Conservatoire Claude Debussy, Paris.
From 2013 to 2019, Luca continues his studies at the CRR of Lyon under Lionel Avot and Yves Lafargues and gets his musical degree in organ in 2018.
In 2019, aged 17, he is admitted at the CNSMD of Lyon at the bachelors degree in the organ class of François Espinasse and Liesbeth Schlumberger; he is studying there since.

Luca has been appointed organist at St. Denis church and St. Augustin church of Lyon in 2021.

In parallel, he has studied early music with harpsichord (with Noëlle Spieth, Catherine Latzarus, Yves Rechsteiner) and Clavichord (Illton Wjunisky) for over ten years.

Luca Akaeda Santesson has had the opportunity to play in various countries, notably in Japan, and to take part in masterclasses of organists from around the world such as Hans-Ola Ericsson, Kimberley Marshall or Peter van Dijk.

Alain BRUNET

After studying the piano, Alain BRUNET discovered the organ during his adolescence in the Savoy region and took his first lessons in Annecy. He continued his training in Strasbourg with André STRICKER, taking part in master-classes.

From 1988, Alain Brunet devoted himself to the harpsichord, obtaining an Honorary Prize at the CNR of Versailles, as well as a First Prize in chamber music. He completes his training with a course of musicology at the Sorbonne, culminating in a master’s degree. He continued to perfect his skills at the Conservatory of the 17th district of Paris and obtained a First Prize of the City of Paris in harpsichord and chamber music. In 1994 he obtained the State Diploma in Early Music.

His teaching activities took place initially in Dreux (harpsichord and organ classes) and since 1999 in Vernon, where he was titular of the Oury (1610) – Kern (1979) organ of the Collegiate Church between 1999 and 2007.

From 2004 to 2006 he was curator of the organ of Ivry la Bataille (27). He was a lecturer at the University of Rouen (UFR of musicology) for 2 years.

In 2014, Alain Brunet obtained the professional card of organist musician of the Paris Diocese; in 2017, he passed the Professional Examination of Professor of Artistic Teaching (organ). He is co-titular of the organ of the Saint-Eloi temple in Rouen since 2021 and participates the same year in the creation of the Bach Academy in Seine-Eure of which he is one of the 3 teachers.

He performs in concert on harpsichord and organ, as a soloist or as a continuo player for vocal and orchestral groups.

Alice ROCHA

Born in Évora – Portugal, Alice ROCHA began her musical studies in 2009 at the Regional Conservatory of Évora – Eborae Musica, in the organ class of the professor and organist Rafael Reis with whom she studied until 2017.

She competed in the National Organ Competition of Ourem-Fátima, obtaining two silver medals in 2013 and 2014. In July 2016, she was selected among many candidates to participate in the Young Talents Masterclass of Haarlem, in Holland. She thus had the opportunity to study with prestigious organists, in particular with Ben Van Oosten. During her studies Alice took part in masterclasses with great organists such as António Estereiro, José Luis Uriol, Willem Jansen, Pieter van Dijk and Vincent Dubois.


She plays at the Cathedral of Évora-Portugal during important ceremonies and between 2019 and 2021 she holds the position of organist at Saint Matthew church in Strasbourg.

In 2021 she obtained her Bachelor’s degree at the Académie Supérieure de Musique de Strasbourg- HEAR under the guidance of professor and organist Johann Vexo.

During her studies in France, she has had the opportunity to play various solo concerts in Alsace and Portugal, also including concerts with the duo organ / oboe she forms since 2018 with the oboist Erika Maschke.

Alice Rocha is currently following her Master’s degree at the CNSM in Paris in the organ class of Thomas Ospital and Olivier Latry.

Lucile DOLLAT

Born in December 1997, Lucile Dollat is the winner of several international competitions, including the Grand Prix and the Audience Prize of the André Marchal – Gaston Litaize International Organ Competition (Paris, 2017), the Prix de la Ville d’Angers as well as a distinction for the best performance of a work in creation at the Concours International d’Orgue Jean-Louis Florentz – Académie des Beaux-Arts (Angers, 2017), as well as the Second Prize ex-æquo at the Concours International d’Orgue “Pierre de Manchicourt” de Béthune – Saint-Omer (2016).

Lucile has a concert career throughout Europe, notably in France, Spain, Germany, England and Italy. She is keen to program varied and surprising works from the 16th century to the present day. She willingly joins forces with various instrumentalists, actors and dancers to reveal new facets of the organ. This is how she performs both as a soloist and with other formations: she has notably played with the Ensemble Intercontemporain at the Philharmonie de Paris, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, the Madrigal de Paris, the Chœur de Chambre d’Île-de-France

In 2016, she received an Organ Prize and an Organ Improvisation Prize at the Conservatoire Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (classes of Éric Lebrun and Pierre Pincemaille) with the highest distinction. She continued at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in organ with Olivier Latry, Michel Bouvard, in improvisation with Thierry Escaich and Laszlo Fassang, and in writing with Fabien Waksman and Jean-Baptiste Courtois. In June 2018, she obtained her Diplôme National Supérieur de Musicien Professionnel in organ with the highest distinction as well as a Harmony Prize. In June 2019 Lucile obtains a Prix de Contrepoint in 2019 and then the Master’s degree in organ with highest honors in June 2020.

Lucile is titular of the Cavaillé-Coll organ of the church Notre-Dame de la Gare (Paris XIIIe), of the historical organ of the church Notre-Dame des Vertus (Aubervilliers), and substitute of the Abbey symphonic great organ of the church Saint-Vincent de Paul (Clichy-La-Garenne). Lucile is supported by the Mécénat Musical Société Générale and by the Fondation de France.

Fanny COUSSEAU

Fanny Cousseau graduated from the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional (CRR) of Paris and the Conservatoire à rayonnement départemental (CRD) of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés in organ, piano and accompaniment.
She then joined the organ class of the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse (CNSMD) in Lyon and studied at the Universität für musik und darstellende kunst Wien (MDW) in Austria.
During her studies, she benefited from the teaching of renowned organists such as Éric Lebrun, Christophe Mantoux, Jeremy Joseph and François Espinasse.

In 2019, she won two prizes at the Olivier Messiaen International Organ Competition, including the prize for the best interpretation of Messiaen’s works.
A sought-after musician, Fanny Cousseau regularly performs as a soloist, with choir or with orchestra in various prestigious venues such as the Saint Eustache church in Paris, the Lyon Auditorium, the Algerian Consulate in Tlemcen or the Jesuitenkirche in Austria.
Very attached to vocal music, she co-founded the duo Aloysia in 2015 with the coloratura soprano Géraldine Casey.

Fanny Cousseau is organist at the Temple de Port Royal in Paris.

Sören GIESELER

Born in 1996 in Stuttgart, Sören Gieseler began his organ and piano studies in 2004. In 2012, he began studies at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart in the school’s pre-college program, continued with church music studies in 2014, and is now completing his masters.
Taking advantage the school’s many instructors, he has studied literature and improvisation with Prof. Jürgen Essl, Prof. Jörg Halubek, Prof. Helmut Deutsch, David Franke, Tobias Wittmann, as well as piano with Maria Sofianska.
He is regular attendee of masterclasses, where he has additionally benefitted from lessons with Daniel Roth, Juan de la Rubia, Luca Scandali, Jeremy Joseph, among others.

In 2019 he won the first prize in the 7th International Joseph Gabler Organ Competition.
In addition to his work as organist and choir director, he maintains an active concert career that has taken him to France, Italy, and Spain.

Gabriele AGRIMONTI

His musical education begins at the age of 11.  In 2016 he graduated from the Parma Conservatory, in the class of  Mario Verdicchio, with a master degree “cum laude” and the jury’s unanimous honors.
At the age of 13 he was appointed co-titular organist of the Basilica magistrale di S. Maria della Steccata in Parma, introduced by the titular organist Ugo Leoni.

In 2016, Gabriele Agrimonti was admitted at Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Paris) where he is currently studying improvisation and applied composition theory under the guidance of renowned teachers such as Thierry Escaich, Laszló Fassang, Thomas Ospital, Thomas Lacôte, Yves Henri, Olivier Trachier…

Moreover, his participation in numerous master-classes allowed him to receive precious advice from famous organists: Olivier Latry, Jean Guillou, Yanka Hékimova, Baptiste-Florian Marle-Ouvrard, Henri-Franck Beaupérin…

In 2017, he won the Grand-Prix d’improvisation at the international improvisation competition Marchal-Litaize in Paris ; in 2018 he was amongst the finalists at the Haarlem Competition (Netherlands). In 2019 he is the first Italian to win the First Prize (Tournemire Prize) at St Albans’ Improvisation competition (UK) ; he also is awarded the First Prize at the Boëllmann-Gigout Competition in Strasbourg.

Gabriele Agrimonti is enrolling in to a prolific international concertist career all over Europe.

His repertoire is reaching from the Renaissance period to contemporary music, a large part of this performance being dedicated to improvisation.

He is also cooperating with other arts’ categories such as cinema or dancing.