Karol Beffa, born on October 27, 1973 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, is a French and Swiss composer and pianist.

Biography

Karol Beffa had a general education along with music studies, at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in

, consisting of history, English, philosophy (Master's at

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

, Trinity College) and mathematics. Beffa studied harmony, counterpoint, fugue, music theory, improvisation and composition at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP), where he won 8 First prizes. He taught at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

and at the Ecole Polytechnique. He wrote his PhD (2003) on György Ligeti's Etudes for piano. Since 2004, he is an Associate Professor at the Ecole Normale Supérieure... As a composer, his catalogue consists of some hundred works, which have been performed in France, China, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, the United States and Japan by ensembles as Maîtrise de Radio France, Chœur de l’Orchestre de Paris, Cambridge Voices, Ensemble Notabu, and the leading orchestras (Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic,

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's Hall Orc ...

, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen...). His composing career is closely linked to that of the pianist His works are to be found in the repertoire of the leading orchestras, and of musicians such as

Gautier Capuçon With Jean-Claude Casadesus Gautier Capuçon (born 3 September 1981) is a French cellist. Biography Gautier Capuçon was born in Chambéry, Savoie, the youngest of three siblings. His brother is the violinist Renaud Capuçon. He started learni ...

Renaud Capuçon Renaud Capuçon (born 27 January 1976) is a French classical violinist. Since late 2016 he has been teaching at the Royal Northern College of Music. Biography Capuçon was born in Chambéry on 27 January 1976. He entered the conservatory in h ...

, Emmanuel Ceysson, Bertrand Chamayou, Karine Deshayes, Victor Julien-Laferrière, Nathan Laube, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Anneleen Lenaerts, Paul Meyer, Edgar Moreau, Andreas Ottensamer, Akiko Suwanai, Kristjan Järvi,

Paavo Järvi Paavo Järvi (; born 30 December 1962) is an Estonian-American conductor. Early life Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia, to Liilia Järvi and the Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi. His siblings, Kristjan Järvi and Maarika Järvi, are also mu ...

or the Modigliani Quartet and Ébène Quartet. He has been composer in residence with the

Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse The Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse is a French orchestra based in Toulouse. It acts as both a symphony orchestra whose main residence is Toulouse's Halle aux Grains, and the permanent orchestra of the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse. ...

from 2006 to 2009. He was named an Officier des Arts et des Lettres and was Chair of Artistic Creation at the

College de France A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...

(2012-2013)

Awards

* 2013 : composer of the year - Victoires de la musique classique. * 2016 : Grand prix lycéen des compositeurs . * 2017 : Grand Prix de la musique symphonique de la SACEM * 2018 : composer of the year - Victoires de la musique classique.

Discography

As a performer

* 2008 : ''Improvisations'', Intrada * 2008 : ''Masques'', Mirages, with Johan Farjot, Triton * 2011 : ''Songs'', Ensemble Contraste, Contraste/Naïve * 2013 : ''

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

transcriptions'', Ensemble Contraste, La dolce volta * 2013 : ''Alcools'', ''Le Bestiaire'', improvisations by Karol Beffa (

Apollinaire Guillaume Apollinaire) of the Wąż coat of arms. (; 26 August 1880 – 9 November 1918) was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic of Polish descent. Apollinaire is considered one of the foremost poets of th ...

read by Bernard Métraux), Gallimard * 2014 : ''Miroir(s)'', by Karol Beffa, Johan Farjot, Raphaël Imbert and Arnaud Thorette, Naïve arrangements de

Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest Eng ...

, Bach, Mozart, Erik Satie, Karol Beffa, Johan Farjot, Raphaël Imbert * 2015 : ''Libres'', by Karol Beffa and Raphaël Imbert, JazzVillage/

Harmonia Mundi Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group. Its Latin name ''harm ...

* 2015 : ''Into the Dark'' : ''Concerto pour alto, Concerto pour harpe, Nuit obscure, Dédale'', with Johan Farjot, Arnaud Thorette, Karine Deshayes, Emmanuel Ceysson, Aparte * 2016 : ''Tous en cœur'', ensemble Contraste * 2016 : ''Blow Up, musique de chambre avec vents'', Indesens * 2017 : ''Le Roi qui n'aimait pas la musique'' : text by

Mathieu Laine Mathieu Laine (born April 9, 1975) is a French entrepreneur and intellectual. He is the founder and head of Altermind, a boutique consultancy firm based in Paris, London, Brussels and Berlin. He is an affiliate professor at Sciences Po Pari ...

, with Patrick Bruel (reader),

(violin), Edgar Moreau (cello), Paul Meyer (clarinet) and Karol Beffa (piano), livre-disque Gallimard jeunesse * 2018 : ''En Blanc et Noir'', Indesens : piano improvisations * 2019 : ''De l'autre côté du miroir'', Indesens : piano improvisations * 2020 : Tohu Bohu, ''Blow in'', Indesens : by Karol Beffa (piano), Saxo Voce * 2020 : Talisman, ''Destroy'', Klarthe : by Karol Beffa (piano), Quatuor Renoir

As a composer

Is written first the name of the music record, then the name of the compositions by Karol Beffa which appear on the music record. * 2005 : ''Inventions'' : ''Masques I et II'', by

Renaud Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan (), known as Renaud (), born 11 May 1952, is a French singer, songwriter and actor. His characteristically 'broken' voice makes for a very distinctive vocal style. Several of his songs are popular classics in F ...

and

, Virgin Classics * 2006 : '' Dutilleux : Sonate – Beffa : 6 études, Voyelles'' pour piano, by Lorène de Ratuld, Ame Son * 2006 : ''

Debussy (Achille) Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the ...

en miroir'' : ''Trois Études'' pour piano, by Dana Ciocarlie, Triton * 2006 : ''Tenebrae'' : ''Metropolis'', by Arnaud Thorette, and Johan Farjot, Accord/Universal * 2008 : ''Masques'' : ''Les ombres qui passent, Mirages, Supplique, Manhattan, Masques 1 & 2, Milonga'', ensemble Contraste and Karol Beffa, Triton * 2008 : ''Duo Romain Leleu et Julien Le Pape'' : ''Subway'', by

Romain Leleu Romain Leleu (born 7 November 1983) is a French classical trumpeter. He is the elder brother of tuba player Thomas Leleu. Life Born in lille, Leleu waselected''révélation soliste instrumental'' by the Victoires de la musique classique#R.C3.A ...

and Julien Le Pape, Indesens * 2008 : ''Après une lecture de Bach...'', by Marina Chiche, Intrada * 2008 : ''Anneleen Lenaerts'' : ''Éloge de l’ombre'', by Anneleen Lenaerts, Egon Records * 2009 : ''Bachianas et transcriptions'' : ''Erbarme dich'', by David Bismuth, * 2010 : ''Fantasy'' : ''Buenos Aires'', Feeling Brass quintet, Aparte * 2012 : ''L’œil du Loup'', Gallimard, with l'

Orchestre de chambre de Paris The Orchestre de chambre de Paris (OCP) is a French chamber orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra performs throughout Paris with concerts at the Philharmonie de Paris, where it is a resident ensemble, and also at such venues as the Théâtre de ...

(text from Daniel Pennac) * 2013 : ''Ground IV'' : ''Feux d’artifice'', by the Quatuor de clarinettes Vendôme, Indesens * 2014 : ''Miroir(s)'' : ''Chinatown'', "Je t'invoque", "Cathédrales", par Karol Beffa, Johan Farjot, Raphaël Imbert, Arnaud Thorette, Naive * 2014 : '' �volution'' : ''Suite pour piano'', by Vanessa Benelli Mosell, Decca * 2014 : ''Saxophone Conversations'' : ''Obsession'', by Alicja Wolynczyk, DUX * 2015 : ''Trumpet concertos'' : ''Concerto pour trompette et cordes'', by

(trompette), Orchestre d’Auvergne, dir. Roberto Forés Veses, Aparte * 2015 : ''French touch'' : ''Five o'clock'', by the Klarthe Quintet, Klarthe * 2015 : ''Into the Dark'' : ''Concerto pour alto, Concerto pour harpe, Dark, Nuit obscure, Dédale'', with Johan Farjot, Arnaud Thorette, Karine Deshayes, Emmanuel Ceysson et Karol Beffa, Aparte * 2016 : ''Blow Up, musique de chambre avec vents'', : ''Blow up, Éloge de l'ombre, Paysages d'ombres, Subway, Concerto pour trompette, Feux d'artifice'', Indesens avec l'Orchestre de la Garde républicaine dir. by Sébastien Billard, Éric Aubier, Vincent Lucas, le quatuor Jean-Yves Fourmeau, l'ensemble Initium... * 2017 : ''Itinérances musicales'' : ''Concerto pour trompette'', by Guy Touvron, Ligia Digital * 2017 : ''Pulse'' : ''Les Météores'', by le quatuor Eclisses, Advitam Records * 2017 : ''Le Roi qui n'aimait pas la musique'' : conte musical, text by Mathieu Laine, with Patrick Bruel (reader), Renaud Capuçon (violin), Edgar Moreau (cello), Paul Meyer (clarinet) and Karol Beffa (piano), livre-disque Gallimard jeunesse * 2017 : ''The World's best loved classical piano pieces'' : "Erbarme dich", by Alena Cherny * 2018 : ''Crime'' : ''Fireworks'' for saxophones quartet, by the Whoop Group, Sarton Records * 2018 : ''Les Doudous lyriques : Dans le labyrinthe'' et ''L'Enfant dort'' for mixa choir a cappella, by le Chœur 43, OutHere * 2018 : ''Douze Etudes'' : for piano, by Tristan Pfaff * 2019 : ''Les Maîtres Sorciers'' : Mémorial '': for harmony orchestra, by la Musique des gardiens de la paix, dir. Gildas Harnois, Hafabra'' * 2019 : A Kind of Wind, ''Obsession'', Indesens : by Nicolas Prost (saxophone) * 2020 : Tohu Bohu, ''Blow in'', Indesens : by Karol Beffa (piano), Saxo Voce * 2020 : Musique française pour harpe, violon et violoncelle, ''Soleil noir'', La Ferme ! Records : by Trio Jenlis * 2020 : Talisman, ''Les Ruines circulaires'', ''Talisman'', "Destroy", "Tenebrae", "Le Bateau ivre", Klarthe : by

Orchestre national de France The Orchestre national de France (ONF; literal translation, ''National Orchestra of France'') is a French symphony orchestra based in Paris, founded in 1934. Placed under the administration of the French national radio (named Radio France sinc ...

Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France The Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France is a French radio orchestra, affiliated with Radio France. The orchestra performs principally at the auditorium of the Maison de la Radio in Paris, along with several concerts at the Philharmonie de Pa ...

, Karol Beffa (piano), Quatuor Renoir

As an actor

Karol Beffa was a child actor between the ages of 7 and 12, between 1981 (7 years old) and 1989 (14 years old).

Cinema

* 1983 : ''Femmes de personne'', by

Christopher Frank Christopher Frank (5 December 1942, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, UK – 19 November 1993, Paris, France) was a British-born French writer, screenwriter, and film director. He won the 1972 Prix Renaudot for his novel ''La Nuit américaine'' th ...

: Arnaud, the son of Marthe Keller and Pierre Arditi * 1984 : ''La Septième Cible'', de

Claude Pinoteau Claude Pinoteau (25 May 1925 – 5 October 2012) was a French film director and scriptwriter. Born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts de Seine, Île-de-France, France. He died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, aged 87. (in French) His sister was the actress ...

: le petit Pierre, the son of Lino Ventura * 1987 : ''Dernière Fugue'', by Miguel Vassy * 2007 : ''Sur ta joue ennemie'', by

Jean-Xavier de Lestrade Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (born 1 July 1963) is a French writer, director and producer of films and television series. Early life and education Lestrade was born in Mirande, Gers, in southwestern France. He studied law and journalism in Paris, an ...

: a doctor * 2013 : ''Je ne suis pas mort'', de Mehdi Ben Attia : professor Berthier * 2019 : ''Le Chant du loup'', de Antonin Baudry : marine officer

Television

* 1981 : ''L’Enfant de cœur'', by Jacques Cornet : Jean-Baptiste * 1982 : ''Délit de fuite'', by Paul Seban : Jean, the son of Aurore Clément and Jean-Luc Bideau * 1982 : ''Mozart'', by

Marcel Bluwal Marcel Bluwal (25 May 1925 – 23 October 2021) was a French film director and screenwriter who directed more than 40 films in his career. Selected filmography Director * ''Carom Shots'' (1963) * ''The New Adventures of Vidocq'' (1971, TV ser ...

: young Mozart (édition DVD) * 1982 : ''Paris-Saint-Lazare'', by Marco Pico : one of the Belleau's son * 1982 : ''Le Crime de Pierre Lacaze'', by Jean Delannoy * 1983 : ''Dans la citadelle'', by

Peter Kassovitz Peter Kassovitz (born 7 January 1938) is a Hungarian-French film director and scriptwriter. Personal life He was born to Jewish parents in Budapest, Hungary. He fled the country at the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He is the father ...

: Jérôme Barjols, the son of

Claude Rich Claude Rich (8 February 1929 – 20 July 2017) was a French stage and screen actor. He began his career in the theater before his film debut in 1955. Personal life He married actress Catherine Renaudin on 26 June 1959. They had two daughters, ...

* 1983 : ''Merci Sylvestre'', by

Serge Korber Serge Korber (1 February 1936 – 23 January 2022) was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 40 films between 1962 and 2007. Successful as the director of comedies starring Louis de Funès in ''L'homme orchestre'' and '' ...

: Gaspard * 1984 : ''Camille ma sœur'', by Olivier Descamps: Olivier * 1984 : ''Image interdite'', by

Jean-Daniel Simon Jean-Daniel Simon (30 November 1942 – 3 February 2021) was a French film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed eight films between 1968 and 1985. In 1975 he was a member of the jury at the 9th Moscow International Film Festival. Se ...

: Tommy Guy * 1984 : ''Quidam'', by Gérard Marx * 1989 : ''Les Millionnaires du jeudi'', by Claude Grinberg * 2015 : '' The Darwinners'' (episode "Les piano-sapiens"), by Jul : the piano teacher (voice)

Theatre

* 1983 : ''La Bonne Âme du Se-Tchouan'', by Bertolt Brecht, directed by

Giorgio Strehler Giorgio Strehler (; ; 14 August 1921 – 25 December 1997) was an actor, Italian opera and theatre director. Biography Strehler was born in Barcola, Trieste; His father, Bruno Strehler, was a native of Trieste with family roots in Vienna and die ...

* 1984 : ''Liberté à Brême'', by

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Rainer Werner Fassbinder (; 31 May 1945 – 10 June 1982), sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema movement. Fassbinder's main ...

, directed by Jean-Louis Hourdin * 1985 : ''Grand-père'' by Remo Forlani, directed by

Michel Fagadau Michel Fagadau (born Mihai Făgădău, 1930– February 10, 2011) was a Romanian-born French theater director and producer. Born in Bucharest, his family had to leave Romania during the war due to his father's antifascist activities. They ended up ...

: the grandson * 1985-86 : '' La Tragédie de Macbeth'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, directed by

Jean-Pierre Vincent Jean-Pierre Vincent (26 August 1942 – 5 November 2020) was a French theatrical actor and director. He served as Administrators of the Comédie-Française, Administrator of the Comédie-Française from 1983 to 1986. Theatre *''The Broken Jug'' ...

: the young Macduff

Opera

* 1983 : ''

Let's Make an Opera ''The Little Sweep'', Op. 45, is an opera for children in three scenes by the English composer Benjamin Britten, with a libretto by Eric Crozier. ''Let's Make an Opera!'' ''The Little Sweep'' is the second part of a stage production entitled ...

'' (''Le Petit Ramoneur''), by

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

* 1983 : '' Le Garçon qui a grandi trop vite'', by Gian Carlo Menotti

Selected publications

* Beffa, Karol (2016). ''György Ligeti''. Paris: Artheme Fayard.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beffa, Karol Living people 1973 births French composers Ligeti scholars