Michel Becquet (born 4 February 1954

Limoges Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region ...

) is a French

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

and professor at the

Conservatoire de Lyon A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

Life

From a young age he played

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

and

horn Horn most often refers to: *Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound ** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...

, taught by his father, a professional horn player, until he turned to the trombone, aged 10. After several years of studies at the Limoges Conservatory, aged 15 he entered the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

where he quickly obtained his diploma. He went on to win all the international contests open to his instrument (Geneva, Munich, Prague and Toulon). At 18, he became solo trombone of the

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. History Er ...

, under the direction of

Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch (26 August 1923 – 22 February 2013) was a German conductor and pianist. Biography Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Munich, the son of Maria and Wilhelm Sawallisch. His father was director of the Hamburg-Bremer-Feuerversich ...

, before some years later joining the orchestra of

Opéra National de Paris The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

. In 1989 he left the Paris Opera for the

Hochschule für Musik A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

(

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

) where he spent time teaching and composing. In 1990

Gilbert Amy Gilbert Amy (born 29 August 1936) is a French composer and conductor. Career Born in Paris, Amy entered the Conservatoire de Paris in 1954, where he was taught and influenced by Olivier Messiaen and Darius Milhaud and studied piano with Yvonne Lo ...

invited him to become Head of Brass at the

Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

where he directed the 18-strong ensemble Cuivres Français. In 1991,

Alexander Arutiunian Alexander Grigori Arutiunian ( hy, Ալեքսանդր Գրիգորի Հարությունյան), also known as Arutunian, Arutyunyan, Arutjunjan, Harutyunian or Harutiunian (23 September 1920 – 28 March 2012), was a Soviet Union, Soviet and A ...

dedicated his Concerto for trombone and symphony orchestra in 3 movements to Becquet. Since then he has joined the Conservatoire de Lyon where he is Professor of Trombone and Head of Brass.

Discography

Solo recordings

* ''2010'' (Pro Arte Musicae PAMP-1039) * ''Michel Becquet et la musique de l'air'' - with Orchestre d'Harmonie de la Musique de l'Air; Claude Kesmaeker, conductor (DistriClassic Musique de l'air ma002) * ''Trombone Recital 'Blue Bells of Scotland (Bellwood BW-1003D)

Recordings as featured soloist

* ''Alla Francese: Works for Brass'' - with Les Cuivres Français (Arion

Pierre Verany Disques Pierre Verany is a French classical music record label named after its founder and producer. Verany, a producer and sound engineer, ran his own label "Disques Pierre Verany" for many years — concentrating on Italian and French baroque m ...

PV 793041) * ''

Arthur Honegger Arthur Honegger (; 10 March 1892 – 27 November 1955) was a Swiss composer who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. A member of Les Six, his best known work is probably ''Antigone'', composed between 1924 and 1927 to ...

: The Chamber Music, Vol. 3'' (

Timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionall ...

1C1010) * ''Canzon'' - with Ensemble de Cuivres de Belgique; Jean-Pierre Haeck, conductor (Meister Music MM-3059) * ''50 Jahre Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD München'' - with Symphonieorchester des Bayerichen Rundfunks; Martin Turnovsky, conductor * ''

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

Michael Haydn Johann Michael Haydn (; 14 September 173710 August 1806) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn. Life Michael Haydn was born in 1737 in the Austrian village of Rohrau, near the Hungarian border. ...

: Concertos pour Trompette, Cor et Trombone'' - with Orchestre de Chambre National de Toulouse; Alain Moglia, conductor (Arion Pierre Verany PV 730029) * ''Jost Meier'' - with Orchestergesellschaft Biel; Jost Meier, conductor (Musiques suisses Grammont Portrait MGB CTS-P 42-2) * ''La Belle Epoque'' - with

Thierry Caens Thierry Caens (born 1958) is a French classical trumpeter. Life Born in Dijon (Burgundy), Caens began studying the trumpet at the age of six with his father Marcel Caens (also father of the saxophonist Jean-Pierre Caens). He was a pupil of Rob ...

, trumpet (Arion Pierre Verany PV 798041) * '' Landowski: Concertos'' - with Philharmonie de Lorraine; Jacques Houtmann, conductor (Koch Schwann 311175) * ''

Leopold Mozart Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (November 14, 1719 – May 28, 1787) was a German composer, violinist and theorist. He is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook ''Versuch einer gründlichen ...

: Concertos pour Cuivres'' - with Les Cuivres Français; Orchestre de Chambre National de Toulouse; Alain Moglia, conductor (Arion Pierre Verany PV 730070) * ''Leopold Mozart: Serenade in D'' - with RIAS-Sinfonietta Berlin; Ernö Sebestyen, conductor (Koch Schwann 311127) * ''Luur Metalls & Friends'' - with Spanish Brass (Cascavelle VEL 3039) * ''

Marius Constant Marius Constant (7 February 192515 May 2004) was a Romanian-born French composer and conductor. Although known in the classical world primarily for his ballet scores, his most widely known music was the iconic guitar theme for ''The Twilight Zon ...

: 4 Concertos'' - with Orchestre symphonique de Nancy; Jérôme Kaltenbach, conductor (

Erato In Greek mythology, Erato (; grc, Ἐρατώ) is one of the Greek Muses, which were inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. The name would mean "desired" or "lovely", if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius o ...

2292-45527-2 / 4509-94815-2) * ''Masterpieces for Band 3'' - with Harmonieorkest Brabants Conservatorium; Jan Cober, conductor (Molenaar Edition MBCD 31.1016.72) * ''

Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...

'' - with Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides;

Norbert Nozy Norbert H. J. Nozy (born 9 September 1952 in Halen, Belgium) is a contemporary Belgian conductor, music educator, and classical saxophonist. Education Nozy was introduced to music at a young age through his father, Norbert Nozy, who was in a loc ...

, conductor (Rene Gailly 87075)

Ensemble recordings

*''Carmen'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Bellwood BW-1008D) - 1996 *''French Bel Canto Trombone'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris and Benny Sluchin (ADDA 581247) *''Just for Fun'' - World Trombone Quartet with

Joseph Alessi Joseph Norman Alessi (born September 20, 1959) is an American classical trombonist with the New York Philharmonic. Life Joseph Norman Alessi was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended high school in San Rafael, California. His father, also nam ...

, Jörgen van Rijen, and Stefan Schulz (arcantus arc 16004) - 2016 *''La Sacqueboute'' - with

Les Saqueboutiers de Toulouse Les Sacqueboutiers, formerly Les Saqueboutiers de Toulouse, are French early music wind and brass ensemble founded in 1976 by Jean-Pierre Canihac and Jean-Pierre Mathieu at Toulouse. They play the cornet à bouquin and the sackbut, with other instr ...

(

Ambroisie Ambroisie is a French classical music record label founded in 1999 by Nicolas Bartholomée, and later sold to Naïve Records. The label released mainly French classical artists,Revue musicale de Suisse romande - Volume 60 2007 "Nous disposions dès ...

AMB 9929) - 2007 *''La Vie Parisienne'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Bellwood BW-1007D) - 1992 *''l'Ensemble de Trombones de Paris'' (

Crystal Records Crystal Records is an American producer and distributor of classical chamber and solo music recordings. The company was founded in 1966 by Peter George Christ (born 1938) and is incorporated in the state of Washington. Christ, who has served as p ...

CD 223) - 1977 *''Les Quatre Virtuoses'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Bellwood BW-1001D) - 1987 *''Les Quatre Virtuoses II'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Bellwood BW-1004D) - 1989 *''Les trombonistes Antoine Courtois, Paris jouent Jean-Michel Defaye'' (Ligia) - 2015 *''Live in Tokyo '90'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Bellwood BW-1005D) - 1990 *''Octobone'' - with l'Ensemble Octobone (Octavia Records Cryston OVCC-00020) - 2005 * ''Octobone II'' - with l'Ensemble Octobone (Octavia Records Cryston OVCC-00055) - 2007 *''Ragtime'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Hérisson vert CD 6800) *''Tournée d'adieu an Japon'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Bellwood BW-1009D) *''20th anniversaire'' - with Le Quatuor de Trombones de Paris (Pluriel 9204)

References

External links

Artist's official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becquet, Michel 1954 births 20th-century classical trombonists 20th-century French male musicians 21st-century classical trombonists 21st-century French male musicians Academic staff of the Conservatoire de Paris Conservatoire de Paris alumni French classical trombonists Living people Male trombonists People from Limoges