- Gautier Capuçon
Gautier Capuçon (born
September 3 ,1981 ) is a Frenchcellist .Biography
Gautier Capuçon was born in
Chambéry , south-eastFrance , the youngest of three siblings. His brother is the violinistRenaud Capuçon .He started learning the
cello when he was four years old. [Gautier Capuçon interview, Virgin Classics promotional film, 2003] Gautier Capuçon interview, Borletti-Buitoni Trust, London, 2004] "La Croix", 1 December 2006 [http://www.la-croix.com/article/index.jsp?docId=2288210&rubId=5548 "Renaud et Gautier Capuçon frères d'archet"] ] He began his formal musical education in his hometown at the Ecole Nationale de Musique de Chambéry, [ [http://www.cami.com/?webid=772 Columbia Artist Management Inc., New York] ] where he graduated with first prizes in cello and in piano.In Paris, he studied the cello initially with
Annie Cochet-Zakine , who had heard the talented youngster in Chambéry and brought him with her to the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris (CNR), where he graduated in 1997 with the first prize in cello. Following on, he then became a pupil of the distinguished cello pedagoguePhilippe Muller at the most prestigiousConservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (CNSMP), where he graduated in 2000 with first prizes in cello and chamber music. After that, he finished his studies withHeinrich Schiff at theUniversity of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna . [International Who's Who in Classical Music 2008, pub: Routledge (2008)]Between 1997-8, as a student, he was cellist in the European Community Youth Orchestra (now the
European Union Youth Orchestra ) and also in theGustav Mahler Jugendorchester , playing under distinguished conductors includingBernard Haitink ,Pierre Boulez andClaudio Abbado .He now enjoys a flourishing concert career and is in demand internationally as a soloist, playing with many of the world's leading conductors and orchestras. He also has a passion for chamber music, in which he often partners his brother as well as with many renowned musicians.
As with many instrumentalist virtuosi, he is also an accomplished pianist. He started learning the piano at the age of seven [http://www.premiumwanadoo.com/jacquesthelen/G_CAPUCON.html Agence Artistique Jacques Thelen, Paris] ] and studied it as his second instrument at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris under Christophe Egiziano. [http://www.french-music.org/scr_artist.php?artist_id=22977 French Music Export Offices] ] He enjoys playing jazz piano for recreational fun.
He married Delphine Borsarello, also a cellist, in September 2007.
Cello
Capuçon plays a 1701
Matteo Goffriller cello which he has owned since 2002. [Cozio registration database of old stringed instruments] He also has a 1746Joseph Contreras cello on loan to him from BSI (Banca della Svizzera Italiana).Speaking about his cello in April 2008, he said:Gautier Capuçon speaking on BBC radio, recorded April 2008, broadcast 2 May 2008]
"I am very lucky to be playing this cello for ten, nearly eleven, years now. It is a Matteo Goffriller, of the Venetian school, from 1701. All the Goffriller cellos that I have tried are not easy to play. For each note you need to know how much bow pressure, how much vibrato and how much bow speed you can put on it. It is an instrument that you really need to know to be able to play; it is not like a Montagnana or a
Stradivarius . Montagnana, for example - most of them are really easy to play. So in a way, on the Goffriller, I probably search more and look more for different things."Describing a Montagnana cello as his "dream" instrument of choice, he said: "I hope one day to be able to play on a Montagnana."
Awards
*First prize, Maurice Ravel International Academy of Music competition,
Saint-Jean-de-Luz , France, 1998
*Second prize, 3rd Adam International Cello Competition,Christchurch, New Zealand , 1999
*First prize, 1erAndré Navarra International Cello Competition,Toulouse, France , 1999
*Victoires de la Musique Classique, “New Talent of the Year”, 2001
*Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, 2004
*Echo Klassik Prize (category: Young Artist of the Year), Germany, 2004Discography
Gautier Capuçon is an exclusive recording artist for Virgin Classics (a division of EMI).
Orchestral:
*Haydn - Cello Concertos, 2003
*Brahms - Double Concerto, 2007Chamber:
*Ravel - Chamber Music, 2002
*Face à Face: Violin & Cello Duets, 2003
*Saint Saëns - Carnival of the Animals, 2003
*Brahms Piano Trios, 2004
*Schubert - Trout Quintet, 2004
*Inventions: Violin & Cello Duets, 2006
*Schubert Piano Trios, 2007In addition, Gautier Capuçon has featured in EMI's annual CD releases of live recordings from the Lugano Festival each year, "Martha Argerich & Friends", at which he is a frequent returning guest performer.
Management
Gautier Capuçon is represented by:
*France: Agence Artistique Jacques Thelen, Paris
*UK: Clarion Seven Muses, London
*North America: Columbia Artists Management Inc., New York
*Japan: Kajimoto Concert Management, TokyoExternal links
* [http://www.emiclassics.com/artistdiscography.php?aid=91 Gautier Capuçon's discography on EMI Classics]
References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
