Autumn Jazz: Vincent Courtois & Eric-Maria Couturier
21st of September 19.00
The concert of the two French cello stars Vincent Courtois and Eric-Maria Couturier promises an exciting and adventurous journey through the realms of jazz and contemporary music. Enthralled by teaching based on improvisation and the discovery of new techniques, Eric-Maria Couturier formed a duo with Vincent Courtois, with which they have performed on many stages worldwide, now also at Autumn Jazz.
Vincent Courtois' exceptional command of the instrument, excellent technique, and suggestive performance style have captivated audiences in many countries. He is highly sought after at jazz and contemporary music festivals across Europe and beyond. Courtois is also a renowned composer and the driving force behind numerous new projects. With the trio Bandes Originales, which includes saxophonists Daniel Erdman and Robin Fincker, performing world cinema classics, he appeared at the 2018 Autumn Jazz of Jazzkaar.
Courtois, who received a classical music education and developed a distinctive, imaginative musical style, has performed and recorded with many of Europe's top new music artists, such as Louis Sclavis, Aki Takase, Marc Ducret, Martial Solal, Michel Petrucciani, Dave Holland, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Frank Möbus, Joachim Kühn, and others. The cellist has released more than 25 albums, including contributions to a dozen ECM albums. In addition to music created for jazz ensembles, he is also highly regarded as a composer for theater and film music.
Eric-Maria Couturier is a professor at the conservatories of Paris and Lyon, a brilliant virtuoso who regularly performs as a soloist on international stages and in chamber ensembles with world-class musicians such as Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Juliana Steinbach, and others. Couturier has performed as a soloist in some of the world's best-known cello concertos, collaborating with top conductors like Pierre Boulez, Georg Solti, Carlo-Maria Giulini, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and others. An interesting fact is that he has also composed music for several video games, such as Vampyr, A Plague Tale: Innocence/Requiem, Dying Light, and more, in collaboration with composer Olivier Deriviere.