Claude Samuel


Claude Samuel was a French music critic and radio personality.

Biography

Born in Paris, after medical studies and graduating as a dental surgeon, Samuel chose to devote himself to classical music journalism. He was a regular contributor to various newspapers of the daily press, of the weekly press, the monthly press and the music press. He also commented on cultural news since 2007 until November 2018 in a weekly blog.
A producer of programs at the R.T.F. then at the O.R.T.F., he was Director of Music from 1989 to 1996; in this capacity, he was vice-president of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
Devoting an important part of his activity, in different forms, to contemporary creation, he was responsible for the programming of the Royan Festival from 1965 to 1972 and then, after a dispute with the Royan authorities, he continued this work in La Rochelle from 1973 to 1977.
Creator of the "Centre Acanthes", an annual educational session for young composers and performers held successively at the Conservatoire d'Aix-en-Provence, at the Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lez-Avignon and then at the Arsenal de Metz, he has invited a number of leading figures of contemporary music to attend:. At Radio France, he created and directed the from 1991 to 1997.
Very committed in the field of musical competitions, Claude Samuel created and directed the Olivier Messiaen Competition for contemporary piano and the Concours de violoncelle Rostropovitch. Samuel has directed the "Concours de la Ville de Paris" from 1990 to 2014.

Awards