THE ARTISTS
their talent sublimates the music
PIERRE ASTOR
Organist of Saint Charles Cathedral in Saint-Etienne, and of the churches of Saint Georges in Lyon and Saint Firmin in Firminy. He began studying music and organ at the age of 15 at the Saint-Etienne Conservatory where he unanimously obtained a gold medal at the age of 19, followed by the: 1st Prize of the Conservatoires à Rayonnement Régional de Lyon , St-Maur des Fossés, and the city of Paris
Higher diploma from the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, National Diploma of Higher Musical Studies (DNESM) in organ and improvisation from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon. 1st prize of honor in the UFAM international competition and the Marcel Dupré competition.
Holder of the State Diploma (DE) and the Certificate of Aptitude (CA), after having been an exceptional class assistant professor at the Paris conservatories, he was then a professor of Artistic Education: at the Hector Berlioz CRD conservatory of the community of the Porte de l'Isère CAPI conurbation in Bourgoin-Jallieu, at the Emile Goué CRD departmental Conservatory in Creuse, at the "Avenir Musical" music school in Firminy.
He performs as a soloist or accompanist in concerts in Paris, and in the main cities of France.
Organists
Other instrumentalists
BERNARD BENDER
Bernard Bender, was born in Alsace. His first years of musical studies with his father, Antoine Bender, head of the Schwenkedel organ in Marienthal, led to his obtaining a liturgical organist diploma from the Diocesan Organ School of Alsace, in 1978. .
He continued his instrumental studies at the CNR in Strasbourg in the classes of Marc Schaeffer and Pierre Vidal (obtaining a first medal in Pierre Vidal's class in 1987) before beginning a cycle of improvement with Pierre Perdigon at the CNR. from Grenoble: interpretation and improvisation (winning 1st prize in 1990).
He participated in the organ academies of Luxembourg with Bernard Lagacé, and of Saint-Bertrand de Comminges with Michel Chapuis.
He also took writing courses from Pierre-Yves Meugé and Odile Charvet at the CNR in Strasbourg, and completed his theoretical studies at the faculty of musicology: his Master's work focused on the organ work of Jehan Titelouze. Obtaining this Master's degree in musicology led him to pass the aggregation of musical education and choral singing.
Bernard Bender currently carries out his professional activity at the Collège Bernard de Ventadour in Privas 07. In 2012, he was appointed organist at the Collegiate Church of Saint Sauveur in Grignan.
JEAN-SEBASTIEN BUSSMANN
Jean-Sébastien BUSSMANN began playing trumpet in Epinal then joined the musicology faculty of Nancy while following the teaching of Dino Tomba at the Nancy Conservatory. After his degree in musicology and his diplomas in music theory, chamber music and trumpet, he continued his studies with Guy Touvron at the Paris Conservatory.
Very quickly passionate about transmission, he taught at a very young age in different music schools in Lorraine. At the same time, he continued to improve with Pascal Clarhaut then in Germany with Antony Plog.
Often asked to play in orchestras (Orchestre National de Lorraine, Opéra de Nancy, Les Siècles, etc.), he plays under the direction of numerous conductors (Casadesus, Chung, Nott, Roth, etc.) without however neglecting chamber music where he is at home. the origin of different groups (Quatuor Cébaré, Résonance 6…). He has also conducted amateur and professional wind orchestras for many years.
Appointed professor at the Grenoble conservatory in 2013, he continues to be involved both in local artistic life and in pedagogy within his establishment.
MICHEL CHANARD
Michel CHANARD, Pianist and Organist. A native of Bagnols sur Cèze, Michel Chanard has been in charge of the recently restored Grand Organ of the Saint Jean-Baptiste church in Bagnols since 1979 and, since 2012, of the Church of the Saints-Martyrs of Marrakech in Morocco.
He specializes in accompaniment on the organ and piano of soloists such as the trumpeter Bernard Soustrot, the tenor Jean Luc Viala, the soprano Adina Aaron, the soprano Emmanuelle de Negri... he performs in various Orchestral formations and vocals from the region (Avignon chamber orchestra, orchestra
of Uzès, the Madrigal of Nîmes, the Ensemble Vocal of Avignon…)
Michel Chanard as pianist and organist has performed in Europe, Canada, Morocco, in 2018 in Marrakech invited by the French Institute for a film concert with the Soprano Valeria Florencio and the journalist Bernard Vadon and in June 2019 as organist during a concert at the Church of the Holy Martyrs of Marrakech organized by the Hungarian Embassy and the friends of the organ of Marrakech. In June 2021, he participated in the televised mass in the program “Le Jour du Seigneur” broadcast on France 2.
Also a composer and arranger, his works are published by Fortin-Armiane in Paris. His latest musical piece entitled “Renaissance” for Orchestra and Organ was given in Bagnols sur Cèze in October 2021 by the Perpignan/Catalonia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Tosi. His Magnificat written in February 2024 for solo soprano, mixed choir, 2 pianos and timpani will be premiered in November 2025 in the region. Michel Chanard has been a Member of SACEM since 2012.
JONATHAN GLEYSE
Clarinetist, he started music at the age of 12 and then took lessons at the Valence Conservatory. At the age of 17, he joined Philippe Lavergne's class where he obtained the certificate of completion of musical studies (CFEM) in clarinet in 2009. In 2009 and 2010 he continued his artistic training at the Lyon Conservatory of Music and Dance in the class of Jean-Louis Bergerard and obtained the Diploma of Musical Studies (DEM) gold medal unanimously and with the congratulations of the jury .
In 2010 he was admitted to the Haute École de Musique in Lausanne (Switzerland) in the professional class of Frédéric Rapin. As soon as he left his studies, he was contacted by several music schools in France and Switzerland. He teaches in these two countries, alongside his concert career. He plays exclusively as a soloist, on the international scene, in varied formations ranging from duets with piano or harp, to concertos with full orchestra, including intermediate formations in quartet, quintet or with chamber orchestra.
He has recorded several records
CLAUDINE GRISI
From the start of her studies in René Saorgin's class, Claudine Grisi had a particular interest in organ literature and the different European styles of the 17th and 18th centuries. She won a grand prize from the city of Nice in her class. She then perfected her stylistic knowledge in Germany, Italy and France.
Holder of the historic organ of the Grinda Brothers of the Saint-Michel church in Villefranche-sur-Mer, she has given numerous concerts in France, Germany, Switzerland and the United States as a soloist, in chamber formation and in singing and organ training.
Claudine Grisi with Illo Humphrey, baritone, are co-founders of the Vox Nova association and the Vox Nova duo which are dedicated to the promotion and preservation of liturgical sacred music as a whole, and in particular that of the European tradition. She is president of the association of friends of the organ and music of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
MAXIME HEINZ
Born in 1982 in Chalon-sur-Saône, Maxime Heintz discovered music, and in particular the organ, in 1995 in Montélimar with Pierre Simonet. His studies will take him to Marseille in the class of André Rossi with whom he will obtain a first prize. Subsequently, he worked with Louis Robillard at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Lyon where he was rewarded with a first prize for improvement.
Various competitions will mark his journey, such as that of Angers, and he will be a semi-finalist at the Paris International Competition. For nearly fifteen years, he was the organist of the Grignan collegiate church. He is currently substitute at the collegiate church of St. Donat sur Herbasse and organist of Tain l'Hermitage.
His concerts take him across France (Nancy, Gap, Marseille, Lyon, Metz, etc.) but also abroad (in Switzerland at the Sion festival, in Holland, in Germany, etc.). He regularly accompanies choirs and soloists (Viorica Cortez, Alain Fondary, etc.) and performs with various instrumental ensembles such as Musica Antiqua under the direction of Christian Mendoze.
An accomplished musician, of marked generosity, faithful to Bach and the romantic repertoire, he gives a translation that is always lively and rigorous, firmly led by an always constant attention to rhythm and colors, arranged with taste and simplicity, for a good understanding works. During 2008, he recorded a disc dedicated to the works of Balbastre and Boëly on the Grignan organ for Movimentos Editions.
SYLVAIN KOELSCH
After studying composition, guitar, conducting and French horn at the Lyon Conservatory, he played the natural horn and the Alps horn, and became responsible for the Cor Alp'Oisans ensemble for which he made arrangements. .
Holder of a state diploma and horn teacher and director of instrumental ensembles at the regional conservatory of Annonay (07) and in various conservatories in the Grenoble area. Active horn player and composer, member of SACEM, member of contemporary music groups as bassist and arranger.
CHARLES-HENRI MAULINI
Organist, pianist and composer born in Nice in 1985, he began studying piano with Sylvie Gisquet then joined the organ class at the Cannes Conservatory under the direction of Henri Pourtau. He also works on jazz piano with Patrick Michel as well as harmony and composition in the class of Jean-Louis Luzignant at the Nice Conservatory. In 2003, he won a 1st Prize for organ at the UFAM competition in Paris.
After completing his musical studies in Cannes with a 1st Organ Prize unanimously from the jury, he left to study in Paris in the Organ class of François-Henri Houbart, head of the great organs of the Eglise de la Madeleine . He won a 1st Prize then a 1st Prize of Excellence unanimously. At the same time, he founded the independent rock group A Red Season Shade in 2004 with which he recorded two albums, produced in Amsterdam and distributed in Europe and Japan. He will then undertake several international tours. In 2016,
Charles-Henri Maulini released an album of his piano compositions under his own name and will give several concerts in Europe and the Middle East.
Drawing on his experience as a teacher, he created the Bach to School music school in September 2021. Charles-Henri Maulini is titular organist of the organ of the Protestant Temple of Nice, and organist of the Church of St-Pierre d'Arène in Nice.
ELKE NEUBER
flute
Elke Neuber studied at the University of Music in Trossingen and as part of an artistic post-diploma in Bern. Numerous masterclasses, among others with Han Told and Walther van Hause, completed his studies.
Since 1989 she has taught at the Fellbach music school. For many years, she has participated in various chamber music projects, but also in television programs, for example with the musical Strubbeltatz, which allow her to tirelessly promote the good reputation of the flute.
DENIS NICOLAIS
“Amateur” organist, student of Kaori Sakaï, the organist of the Saint Laurent church in Bourg d'Oisans and professor at the Oisans music school.
Piano accompanist for choirs, directs the Chant'Oisans choir, and pianist accompanist of the “Drac'Art” choir of St Georges de Commiers and
“In the choir of Gavroches” by Saint Jean de Vaulx.
ALEXIS PLATZ
Organist in Strasbourg. Graduated from the diocesan school of Strasbourg
After studying in schools and universities in Alsace as well as at the Strasbourg conservatory, in different musical disciplines, he followed internships in an organ factory.
Studies and career crowned with numerous awards of excellence and first prizes. Holder of a Bachelor of Musicology, Master of Teaching. Titular and replacement organist in different churches in Strasbourg. Director of a choir and a Gregorian ensemble. Music Teacher. Concertist.
ANDREA SCHÖNE
In her youth, Andrea Schöne led choirs and wind ensembles. After graduating from high school (piano, trumpet) at a music high school in Fellbach, she first studied to become a teacher in the subjects music, mathematics and religion.
At the Auberlen-Realschule in Fellbach, she founded a brass class and a big band, which are still actively playing today.
At the same time, she works as a choir director and accompanist and completes part-time organist training. This was followed by the study of church music (choir conducting, organ, piano, music with children). His first teachers were Johanna Irmscher, Thomas Schäfer-Winter and Klaus Rothaupt.
If on the one hand, work with choirs is very important to Andrea Schöne, so is educational work in the field of the organ. She therefore wrote organ tales for children and adults.
DENIS VERCELLINO
Having graduated from the Bourgoin-Jallieu Conservatory with a DEM in Horn and Musical Training, he teaches these disciplines in several schools in Northern Isère while obtaining a DE in Horn at CEFDEM AURA in 2020