Workshop Improvisation

Vietnam-born French cellist Éric-Maria Couturier is a professor at the Conservatoires in both Paris and Lyon. He himself studied with Christian Ivaldi and Roland Pidoux in Paris. Couturier is a uniquely versatile cellist. He plays in the classical Trio Talweg, has played in the ensemble InterContemporain since 2002, and has performed as a soloist with and in orchestras under the baton of conductors such as Boulez, Solti, Sawallisch, Mällki, Pintscher, and others. Together with composer Olivier Derivière, he created music for video games like Plague Innocent Tale/Requiem, Vampyre, and Dying Light. Fascinated by teaching based on improvisation, as well as the discovery of new techniques, Eric-Maria Couturier created Les Ateliers du violoncelle with Noémie Boutin and Vincent Courtois, with whom he regularly performs. He plays with the bows of Claudia Carmona and Jean Grumberger.

Vincent Courtois studied cello at the Conservatoire in Aubersvilliers, first with Erwan Fauré and later with Roland Pidoux en Frédéric Lodéon. His curiosity led him increasingly to play with major jazz musicians. In his playing, he always tries to find the connection between jazz, improvisation, and classical music. His deep interest in the phenomenon of sound can be heard in his duo with Éric-Maria Couturier, and his trio with Dutch (bass) clarinettist Fie Schouten and pianist-composer Guus Janssen is a great example of the bridging between these apparent contradictions. His newest duo is formed together with pianist Colin Vallon. Vincent Courteois’ most distinguished band with saxophonists Daniël Erdmann and Robin Fincker has existed for years, and they have made various CDs. Every year in Paris, Courteois organises les Ateliers du Violoncelle, where all different styles are featured. He has been a professor of the Conservatoire in Lyon for two years.