D:In your hometown of Chambéry, Savoie, where you received your first awards in your international career, you now travel the world thanks to your music. How did your love affair with the cello begin?
Music has always been a part of my life. Although my parents do not play instruments, they are huge music lovers. Also, when I got my first cello at age 4 and a half, my older sister Aude was already 25 and working on her piano every day. The same goes for my brother Reno, who was 10 at the time, with his violin… And I immediately fell in love with the instrument.
I think it’s because of the fun and also the extra…
D:In your hometown of Chambéry, Savoie, where you received your first awards in your international career, you now travel the world thanks to your music. How did your love affair with the cello begin?
Music has always been a part of my life. Although my parents do not play instruments, they are huge music lovers. Also, when I got my first cello at age 4 and a half, my older sister Aude was already 25 and working on her piano every day. The same goes for my brother Reno, who was 10 at the time, with his violin… And I immediately fell in love with the instrument.
I think this is due to the playful and also highly sensual aspect of the relationship between the instrument and the player. We are seated and anchored to the ground, we embrace it. It’s a tool that, in my opinion, merges with its toolmaker. At the age of 4 and a half, we have no idea, but we just feel it. I spent at least an hour alone with him every day. So I don’t know what I was doing… Maybe open-wire like any kid starting out… I just loved it. And then I had the opportunity to start with an extraordinary teacher who was passionate about music and teaching herself, and who knew how to convey it all. So it was a winning combination.
Speaking of transmission, you’re not “just” a musician. You are also a judge of the TV show “Prodiges”, founder of the Un Été en France tour, ambassador of the Orchester à l’école association… Why is it important to you to promote and spread the practice of classical music? as many people as possible.
There are several answers to this question. First, there are many things I want to do, discover, explore. I want to build and unfortunately, one life will not be enough. I am a very active person who does not know how to sit idle.
Then there is education and transfer, which are extremely important to me. It’s also been a big part of my activity for about fifteen years now with my cello class Summer in France Since 2020 and back Fund which I created in 2022 to support 18 to 25 year olds with scholarships and concert dates. Because this generation has been greatly affected by Covid during the key period between their studies and the start of their professional careers. In the conditions of a health crisis, the chances of going on stage were slim. So it was obvious to tie them in with the Un Été en France tour (co-produced by Société Générale, editor’s note) to highlight them.
As I look back on my career, I had the opportunity to receive scholarships to help me study abroad. They helped me get on stage. Then everything does not happen by itself. Musicians need to develop, but it’s important to give them a chance. Kind of like a springboard. Then we catch it or not. It doesn’t depend on me anymore (laughs).
You are giving back to young musicians but also to the public by offering these free concerts. Like here in Saint-Felix-de-Villade, a small Dordogne village of 300 inhabitants, where thousands of spectators park among the haystacks…
Yes, it is the democratization of music in the noblest sense of the word. I’ve always been a big fan of Maurice Bucke, who was a cellist/actor/mountaineer and brought his cello with him everywhere. You see it, for example, in the middle of the mountain, in Robert Doisneau’s photos. I love it.
In addition, I had a great opportunity to collaborate with great musicians, to play in different places around the world. But it is also very important to remember that music is accessible to everyone. This is truly the DNA of this traveling and completely free festival. Since its inception in 2020, more than 70,000 tickets have been offered to the public, and we don’t have an exact number, but most audiences discover classical music for the first time by coming to these concerts. Because it’s free.
You know, my parents discovered music at a festival in Les Arcs en Savoie because the concerts were free every night in July. They come from modest backgrounds, and I’m not sure that if these concerts were paid, their children would be making music. So that’s my story too, even if I realized it later (smile).
Music runs in your family’s veins. Out of curiosity, did your daughters get into the pot too?
They learned the violin for one, the cello for the other. Both of them stopped. Mets is passionate about classical dance. Which includes flexible schedules, dancing every afternoon… And it was too much to play the violin every night at 9pm. And for the second, it’s the musical. So they are in the artistic field, and I also know how difficult it is. But to have a passion when you’re going through adolescence, I think that’s extraordinary. And we will be there to support them in whatever they choose (smiles).
And who knows, maybe your concert tonight will arouse passions in other children…
But yes of course! I am 42 years old, I see little musicians aged 18-20 who saw their first concert at the age of 7-8… From me. So it’s also funny to get old and see these generations grow up. It’s like all young people School band, in a few years it will also be nice to see. There are currently 43,000 orchestras in France with 1,591 orchestras in 100 departments. Outstanding work with local professional musicians… And I’ll say it tonight (Wednesday, July 17th, editor’s note) like every other night.