Christophe Bertrand


Christophe Bertrand was a French composer of contemporary classical music.

Biography

Christophe Bertrand was a French pianist and composer of mainly chamber works born in 1981. After earning gold medals for piano and chamber music at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg, he performed and recorded with the Ensemble "Accroche-Note" and the Ensemble "In Extremis" of which he was a co-founder. He collaborated with composers such as Ivan Fedele and Pascal Dusapin.
He studied composition since 1996, under the supervision of Ivan Fedele at the Strasbourg Conservatoire, obtaining with distinction his diploma in 2000.
His compositions, conducted among others by Pierre Boulez, Jonathan Nott, Hannu Lintu, Marc Albrecht have been performed by several ensembles and soloists such as the Ensemble Intercontemporain, Arditti Quartet and the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg.
His compositions have been played internationally, amongst others in:
French radio channel France Musique provided his compositions airtime.
He committed suicide in September 2010.

Awards

Christophe Bertrand was awarded several awards for
He was selected by the Académie française in Rome to be in residence at the Villa Médicis in Rome for 18 months.

Works

Vertigo
2 pianos and orchestra
Co-commissioned by French Ministry of Culture and Musica Festival
World premiere: Musica Festival 2008
Arashi
solo clarinet
To Thomas Monod
World premiere : 29/02/2008 - Strasbourg, Mamcs - Thomas Monod
Sanh
bass clarinet, cello and piano
Commissioned by French Ministry of Culture to Armand Angster
World premiere : 11/10/2007 - Strasbourg, Musica Festival / Accroche-Note
Quatuor I
string quartet
Co-commissioned by Beethovenfest of Bonn and Peter McBurney
To the Arditti Quartet
World premiere: 19/03/2006 - Brussels, Ars Musica Festival - Arditti Quartet
French premiere: 20/07/2006 - Festival d'Aix-en-Provence - Arditti Quartet
World premiere of first version: 24/09/2005 - Kunstmuseum Bonn - Mandelring Quartett
Mana
large orchestra
Commissioned by Lucerne Festival
To Pierre Boulez
World premiere: 09/09/2005 - Lucerne KKL - Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra, dir. Pierre Boulez
French premiere: 02/062006 - Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, dir. Hannu Lintu
Madrigal
female voice and ensemble
Commissioned by the André Boucourechliev Foundation to Françoise Kubler and Armand Angster
World premiere: 30 September 2005 - Strasbourg, Festival Musica - Accroche-Note
Virya
flûte, clarinet, percussions and piano
Commissioned by Francis Rueff
To Frédéric Kahn
World premiere: 19/03/2004 - Espace 110 Illzach - Ensemble In Extremis
Aus
viola, soprano saxophone, clarinet and piano
Commissioned b Radio Berlin-Brandeburg
To Philippe Hurel
World premiere: 24/01/2004 - Berlin, Ultraschall-Festival - Ensemble Intégrales
Recording: CD "European Young generation" by Ensemble Intégrales Zeitklang Editions
Haos
solo piano
Commissioned by Festival Rendez-vous Musique Nouvelle, Forbach to Laurent Cabasso
World premiere: 09/11/2003 - Forbach, Festival RVMN - Raoul Jehl, piano
Iôa
8-part female choir
To Catherine Bolzinger
World premiere : 23/05/2003 - Strasbourg, Palais du Rhin - Ensemble Vocal Féminin du Conservatoire de Strasbourg, dir. Catherine Bolzinger
Yet
20 musicians
Commissioned by Ensemble Intercontemporain to Pascal Dusapin
World premiere : 29/09/2002 - Strasbourg, Musica Festival - Ensemble Intercontemporain; dir : Jonathan Nott
Full
four vibraphones, piano and eight amplified voices
Commissioned by Les Percussions de Strasbourg
To Odile Charvet and the Ecole des Percussions de Strasbourg
World premiere : 20/01/2002 - Strasbourg, La Laiterie for the 40th birthday of Les Percussions de Strasbourg - Matthieu Chardon, Marcel Verrept, Christophe Landoz, Christophe Dietrich ; Anne-Cécile Litolf, Choeur de chambre de Strasbourg; dir: Catherine Bolzinger
Ektra
solo flute
To Olivier Class
World premiere: 16/06/2001 - Strasbourg, Cercle européen, Académie des Marches de l'Est - Olivier Class, flute
Dikha
clarinet/bass clarinet and electronics
Composed during the "Cursus de composition et d'informatique musicale" at the IRCAM
To Pierre Dutrieu
World premiere: 15/06/2002 - Paris, Agora Festival, Espace de Projection de l'IRCAM - Pierre Dutrieu, clarinet
Treis
violin, cello and piano
Honorable mention at the Gaudeamus Festival 2001/First Prize Earplay 2002
To Rosalie Adolf, Anne-Cécile Litolf and Godefroy Vujicic
World premiere: 07/10/2000 - Strasbourg, Musica Festival - Rosalie Adolf, Godefroy Vujicic, Anne-Cécile Litolf
La Chute Du Rouge
clarinet, cello, vibraphone and piano
To Ivan Fedele
World premiere : 11/05/2000 - Strasbourg, Oratoire du Temple-Neuf - Ensemble du Conservatoire de Strasbourg
Skiaï
five instruments
To Pierre-Yves Meugé
World premiere: 11/05/1999 - Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame - Ensemble du Conservatoire de Strasbourg
Strofa II
female voice, violin and piano
World premiere: 11/05/2000 - Strasbourg, Oratoire du Temple-Neuf - Ensemble du Conservatoire de Strasbourg
Strofa IIb
female voice, alto flute and piano
World premiere : 02/07/00 - Wangen, Vieux Freihof - Aline Metzinger, Olivier Class, Christophe Bertrand