In Memoriam – François Laurent (1960-2023)
François Laurent made his first appearance as a soloist at the age of 17, in the "Salle Pleyel" in Paris with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France.
After his participation at the International Competition of Geneva in September 1978 when he was one of the three French flutists who reached the semi-finals, he was ranked in first position and accepted after a brilliant performance, at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, in Jean-Pierre Rampal's class. He went on to receive the 1st Prize for Flute in 1982. A few months before, he was nominated Principal Flute in the "Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse", a position that he held for over 20 years. While taking part in the multiple activities of the orchestra, he regularly gave chamber music concerts leading him to appear in Germany, the United States, and Japan as well as in France during many festivals (Nice, Menton, Besançon, Escarène, La Chaise-Dieu...)
In addition along with some of his colleagues and friends, he created the season "les Clés de Saint-Pierre" which he organized every year for over 20 years and which is now an established part of cultural life in Toulouse.
Running regular master-classes in France and in other countries around the world (Belgium, Brazil, United States, Japan), he devoted much of his time to summer courses, such as the "Academie Henri Tomasi" in Marseille, the "Academie Internationale de Guérande et des Pays de la Loire" and the "Academie Gyorgy Sebök" in Barèges. François Laurent is prize winner of the international competitions of Geneva in 1983 and Kobe in 1985. He also played principal flute as part of the "World Philharmonic Orchestra" in Montreal in 1988 and was invited by the "Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks München" (dir. Lorin Maazel) in 1992. In a primarily orchestral discography (EMI Classics), he made noteworthy recordings of the very beautiful music for flute by Claude Debussy, the "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" as well as virtuoso recordings of Camille Saint-Saëns "Volière du Carnaval des Animaux" and of Peter and the Wolf by Serge Prokofiev. During their tour of Japan in 1992, he also made a very beautiful recording of French music with his friends in the Toulouse Wind Quintet: quintets and sextet with piano by Roussel, Milhaud, Poulenc, Damase, and Ibert for the Fontec Records label.
French
Il donne son premier concert en soliste, à 17 ans, salle Pleyel à Paris avec l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Après s'être fait remarquer au Concours International de Genève en septembre 1978 où il fit partie des trois français qui accédèrent aux demi-finales, il fut reçu brillamment, premier nommé, au Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, dans la classe de Jean-Pierre Rampal et obtient le 1 er Prix de Flûte en 1982.
Quelques mois auparavant, il était nommé flûte solo de l'Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, poste qu'il occupe depuis juillet 1982.
Tout en participant aux multiples activités de l'orchestre, il donne régulièrement des concerts de musique de chambre. Il a par ailleurs créé avec quelques uns de ses collègues et amis la saison "Les Clefs de Saint-Pierre" qu'il organise chaque année depuis octobre 2000.
François Laurent est lauréat des concours internationaux de Genève 1983 et Kobé 1985.
Il a également joué comme flûte solo au sein du World Philharmonic Orchestra à Montréal en 1988 et a été invité par l'Orchestre Symphonique de la Radio Bavaroise de Munich (dir. Lorin Maazel) en 1992.
In Memoriam – François Laurent (1960-2023)
François Laurent made his first appearance as a soloist at the age of 17, in the "Salle Pleyel" in Paris with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France.
After his participation at the International Competition of Geneva in September 1978 when he was one of the three French flutists who reached the semi-finals, he was ranked in first position and accepted after a brilliant performance, at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, in Jean-Pierre Rampal's class. He went on to receive the 1st Prize for Flute in 1982. A few months before, he was nominated Principal Flute in the "Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse", a position that he held for over 20 years. While taking part in the multiple activities of the orchestra, he regularly gave chamber music concerts leading him to appear in Germany, the United States, and Japan as well as in France during many festivals (Nice, Menton, Besançon, Escarène, La Chaise-Dieu...)
In addition along with some of his colleagues and friends, he created the season "les Clés de Saint-Pierre" which he organized every year for over 20 years and which is now an established part of cultural life in Toulouse.
Running regular master-classes in France and in other countries around the world (Belgium, Brazil, United States, Japan), he devoted much of his time to summer courses, such as the "Academie Henri Tomasi" in Marseille, the "Academie Internationale de Guérande et des Pays de la Loire" and the "Academie Gyorgy Sebök" in Barèges. François Laurent is prize winner of the international competitions of Geneva in 1983 and Kobe in 1985. He also played principal flute as part of the "World Philharmonic Orchestra" in Montreal in 1988 and was invited by the "Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks München" (dir. Lorin Maazel) in 1992. In a primarily orchestral discography (EMI Classics), he made noteworthy recordings of the very beautiful music for flute by Claude Debussy, the "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" as well as virtuoso recordings of Camille Saint-Saëns "Volière du Carnaval des Animaux" and of Peter and the Wolf by Serge Prokofiev. During their tour of Japan in 1992, he also made a very beautiful recording of French music with his friends in the Toulouse Wind Quintet: quintets and sextet with piano by Roussel, Milhaud, Poulenc, Damase, and Ibert for the Fontec Records label.
French
Il donne son premier concert en soliste, à 17 ans, salle Pleyel à Paris avec l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.
Après s'être fait remarquer au Concours International de Genève en septembre 1978 où il fit partie des trois français qui accédèrent aux demi-finales, il fut reçu brillamment, premier nommé, au Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, dans la classe de Jean-Pierre Rampal et obtient le 1 er Prix de Flûte en 1982.
Quelques mois auparavant, il était nommé flûte solo de l'Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, poste qu'il occupe depuis juillet 1982.
Tout en participant aux multiples activités de l'orchestre, il donne régulièrement des concerts de musique de chambre. Il a par ailleurs créé avec quelques uns de ses collègues et amis la saison "Les Clefs de Saint-Pierre" qu'il organise chaque année depuis octobre 2000.
François Laurent est lauréat des concours internationaux de Genève 1983 et Kobé 1985.
Il a également joué comme flûte solo au sein du World Philharmonic Orchestra à Montréal en 1988 et a été invité par l'Orchestre Symphonique de la Radio Bavaroise de Munich (dir. Lorin Maazel) en 1992.