Christophe Rody (CH)

Kiev

brannen — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:27:00 GMT

le 1 mars 2008, concert à la cathédrale St-Nicholas de Kiev. Christophe Rody dirige un orchestre de chambre de Kiev (named by Liatoshinsky). Au programme: "overture on hebrew themes" de Prokofiev, "serenade" de Tschaikovsky, "serenade" d'Elgar, "Simple symphony" de Britten. Solistes: Arnaud Pairier, clarinette (France), et Eugenia Rody (piano)

quintette melini

brannen — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:24:34 GMT

le dimanche 3 février 2008 dans le cadre des Dimanches-concerts de Corpataux-Magnedens.
Le quintette Melini est composé de Christophe Rody (flûte), Jean-Jacques Goumaz (hautbois de l'Opéra de Mannheim), Giancarlo Gerosa (clarinette, directeur du Conservatoire de Fribourg), Matteo Ravarelli (corniste à l'orchestre dymphonique de Berne) et Philipp Reinhard (bassoniste à l'Opéra de Mannheim). Le pianiste Eric Cerantola s'associe pour ce concert à Melini. Au programme: Sextuor de Thuille, 3 pièces de Ibert, 3 shanties de Malcolm Arnold, Sextuor de Poulenc.

concerts Francis Poulenc

brannen — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:18:48 GMT

Jeudi 20 décembre 2007 à 19h30, aula du conservatoire de Fribourg: des profs jouent Poulenc.
Sonate pour flûte et piano, sonate pour hautbois et piano, élégie pour cor et piano, sonate pour clarinette et piano.
Bruno Luisoni, hautbois - Matteo Ravarelli, cor - Christophe Rody, flûte traversière - Aurèle Volet, clarinette - Eugenia Rody, piano

ICF2007

brannen — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:16:00 GMT

From the 21stof may 'til the 3rd of June 2007, Christophe Rody will conduct 3 concerts at the head of a Kiev Chamber Orchestra (named by Liatoshinsky) for the International Conductors' Festival (ICF Kiev 2007). He's the co-artistic director with the american conductor Matthew Brown. They invited 3 other young conductors to join them for the festival : Arnaud Pairier (France), Francis Scully (USA) and Andrew Lyon (USA). The repertoire will include Beethoven's 6th symphony, Mozart's symphonies 40 and 41, Haydn's symphony 94 "surprise", Elgar's serenade, Britten's simple symphony,....

a Kiev Chamber Orchestra (named by Liatoshinsky), conductor: Christophe Rody

brannen — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:56:00 GMT

Le 11 novembre 2006: Kiev - The National House of Organ and Chamber Music of Ukraine
a Kiev chamber orchestra (named by Liatoshinsky), direction: Christophe Rody
Programme:
"chamber symphony op.110" de Shostakovich
"crisantemi" de Puccini
"bohemian danish folksong paraphrase" de Nielsen
"arioso no.2" de Philip Glass

article published in The Cincinnati Post

brannen — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 21:32:44 GMT

(first published in The Cincinnati Post, August 3, 2006)

PÄRNU, Estonia. Conductor Paavo Järvi has many scripts to follow on his travels around the globe.

One is as music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Another is artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, with whom he toured Japan in May with their newly recorded cycle of Beethoven symphonies.

Yet another is unfolding in his native Estonia.

As artistic advisor of the Estonian National Orchestra, Järvi has made a series of acclaimed recordings, including Sibelius Cantatas (Virgin Classics, 2004), Estonia's first Grammy-winner.

Son of famed conductor Neeme Järvi, he has taken on another role recently, joining his father as a teacher of young conductors at Neeme Järvi's Summer Academy in Pärnu, Estonia.

"I have done occasional master classes in places where I have been a guest conductor, but nothing like this, which is quite organized and quite a specific course," said Järvi over a late afternoon snack at one of Pärnu’s outdoor cafes.

Held in July in conjunction with Pärnu’s distinguished David Oistrakh Festival, the week-long master course is a prime opportunity for young conductors to hone their craft, he said.

"There are very few opportunities for young conductors to have a chance to conduct an orchestra and have actual interaction with an experienced conductor. Every person who comes here will have a chance to conduct in concert as well, as an active participant. It’s an opportunity that you just can’t get anywhere."

In Pärnu a picture postcard town on the Baltic Sea famed for its spas and white sand beach a dozen or so students work in front of an orchestra for allotted time slots each day, typically two 15-minute sessions each. The conducting sessions are videotaped and critiqued by the teacher before the entire class, and each student is assigned to conduct a portion of the two student-led Oistrakh Festival concerts. Classes and concerts are held in Pärnu’s brand new Concert Hall, a five-story, glass-walled sparkler on the bank of the Pärnu River.

There were 15 students this year, from Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Switzerland, Taiwan and the USA. Although he has taught in Pärnu twice before, this was Järvi’s first time as sole instructor with his dad (Finnish guru Jorma Panula and Russian conductor Alexander Dmitriev have assisted Neeme in the past).

Järvi taught July 6-9, his father July 10-12.

Pärnu, a former Hanseatic League city founded in 1251, is uniquely hospitable for a conducting course, said Järvi. "This is a secluded place, not a show business environment. Here you can actually do work and feel like you can make mistakes. It’s a charming city that is not over-developed yet, with nice places to eat and walk."

Järvi sat score in hand during the conducting sessions, often striding to the podium to raise or clarify an issue with the student. His manner was serious, but congenial. "We are all friends here," he said, to one very nervous conductor.

He was also uncompromising. "I will not say ‘this is great,’ if it is not great. Go somewhere else for compliments. Here you are going to get what you need to hear."

As soon as something went wrong or struck Järvi as "not working," he immediately pointed it out and offered a solution.

There is "no formula" for what makes a good conductor, said Järvi, who presided in tee-shirt and jeans, often barefoot during video sessions.

"Conducting is very personal," he said. "It depends on each individual the way they are built, the way they think and are taught, how old they are and so on."

What Järvi looks for is "somebody who can communicate something. In a course that lasts four or five days, you can be most useful by helping people show what they mean. There are people who have very much talent, but don’t know how to express it, others who have more experience but don’t have much to say.

"I try to catch my very first impression, because that is what musicians go by. They don’t have time to analyze too many things while they are playing 50 notes in a bar."

Jarvi’s goal was to give the students a "second opinion."

"It is very hard to get an objective point of view in conducting because first of all, it’s hard to get a chance to conduct at that stage in your life. Second, they have a certain standard set by their teachers, that this is the way to do it. It’s good to have a reality check and see how it works in an environment when your teacher is not there."

Järvi pooh-poohs the godlike image of the symphony conductor (Conductor joke: What’s the difference between God and a conductor? God doesn’t think he’s a conductor.)

"Too much is made of this kind of mystical quality of conducting," he said. "There are certain things that, yes, cannot be explained, but the things these guys don’t know yet are not some sort of mystical, religious or other-worldly abilities. They don’t know enough repertoire. They don’t listen enough. They don’t have enough experience.

"There is so much to learn, so much music to just know."

Despite growing up surrounded by music and having his father as an example – "my one really great advantage," he said the first thing Järvi learned as a conducting student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia was "how little I knew, not even repertoire so much as elementary musical issues harmony, analysis, score-reading, everything."

Despite Jarvi’s candor and high standards, no egos were crushed during his four days in Pärnu, and the students applauded him warmly after their July 9 concert with the Pärnu Festival Orchestra. The program comprised Mozart's Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro," Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals," Romances for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 40 and 50, by Beethoven, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 ("Prague"). Soloist in the Beethoven was Järvi's wife Tatiana Berman, a sporting collaborator in rehearsals and an exquisite performer in concert.

For Järvi, "one of the great joys" of coming to Pärnu is working with his father.

"I love his enthusiasm. I use the word ‘infected’ with music because that is exactly the way it is. It’s a virus, a disease, the incredible joy that comes from making music."

There is no father-son rivalry, he said. "People can’t believe we don’t have this sort of Freudian thing. They’re not willing to, because it’s a better story the other way."

Paavo’s Cues for Young Conductors.

Participating in the 2006 Neeme Järvi Summer Academy were: Matthew Brown (USA), Richards Buks (Latvia), Mark Heron (Great Britain), Arndt Heyer (Germany), Risto Joost (Estonia), Takao Kanayama (Japan), Joseph Lee (USA), Giuseppe La Malfa (Italy), Arnaud Pairier (France), Peeter Peterson (Estonia), Christophe Rody (Switzerland), Kiyotaka Teraoka (Japan/Austria), Naoki Tokuoka (Japan/Taiwan), Adam Turner (USA), Vera Volchansky (Russia/USA) and Michael Young (Great Britain). In their four days under Järvi's tutelage, including rehearsals and video analyses, they received an abundance of conductorial insights. Following is a sample:

"If you don't show an orchestra in the first two minutes that you can be understood, you will never get your ideas across. They would dumb out and not pay attention to anything you are doing."

Conducting must have "character" that reflects the music.

Examples from Saint-Saens’ "Carnival of the Animals:" "This is not boiled eggs the rooster is ready" ("Hens and Roosters"). "Make it more liquid, not always the same gestures" ("Aquarium"). "Don't give it away do it different ways each time" ("The Cuckoo"). "A certain famous conductor would have been transformed into a swan and flown away. That's not a bad thing to be able to do" ("The Swan").

"Less is more" (i.e., don’t over-conduct).

"Give them only what they need."

"In soft music, use gestures that create small, soft impulses. Use your eyes."

"Always breathe with the musicians."

"Too much parallel motion, use your left hand."

"More vocabulary. Rhythm comes from a free body with inner intensity. Find the rhythm in your body somewhere, anywhere."

"A conductor should look good. Find your own aesthetic. If you want the music to sing, you can't use too many angles."

"Everything needs to be clear in the face."

"If you need something from an orchestra, don't let go until you get it."

Neeme Järvi Summer Academy

brannen — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:37:00 GMT

For the first time, Christophe Rody was among the participants selected from all over the world for this prestigious master course held in Pärnu, Estonia. The NJSA has 2 unique features which set it apart from most other master classes. Firstly, Neeme Järvi and Paavo Järvi are of course conductors at the very top of the business. It is rare to have the opportunity to work intensively with conductors who are working with some of the world's leading orchestras week in, week out. Secondly, all sessions are essentially preparation for concerts forming part of the David Oistrakh Festival. This year all concerts were broadcast live on Estonian Radio and the final concert was an opera gala with soloists from the Bolshoi.

Biography

brannen — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:36:00 GMT

Born in Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1973
French speaking, with good knowledge of german and english

Graduated from Grandview High School, Kansas City, USA, in 1991
Graduated from Ste-Croix High School, Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1993

Studied 3 years musicology, modern history and contemporary history at the Fribourg University, Switzerland
- flute teaching diploma and concert diploma at the « Bern Musikhochschule für Musik » (Switzerland) with Prof. Christian Studler
- flute solo with Cairo Opera House Orchestra (2002-2003)
- also played flute/piccolo with: Wiener Concert Verein, Zurich Opera Orchestra, Bern Symphony Orchestra, Riga Symphony Orchestra, Schweizer Armeespiel, …
- recorded 2 cds of Piazzolla’s tangos for « classico » with the chamber music ensemble « TRIADE »

- studied conducting 2 years with Prof. Hervé Klopfenstein at the Fribourg Conservatory, then 2 years with Prof. Dominique Roggen at the "Bern Musikhochschule für Musik". Then studied with Maestro Neeme Järvi and Maestro Paavo Järvi.

- in 2003, conducted the Arvo Pärt’s "Stabat Mater" during the "Biennales Bern’03" (students from the Bern MusikHochschule)
- in 2004, conducted the concert "Urfdesüde Kollektiv" during the Belluard Bollwerk International Festival in Fribourg, concert mixing disco music (drum’n bass) and a symphony orchestra
- conducting since summer 2004 the international youth orchestra camp of "les Jeunesses Musicales de Suisse"
- conducted the musical « Dracula » in 2005
- conducted the Lausanne Sinfonietta at the Montreux Jazz Festival in june 2005 (concert with the group « the Young Gods »)
- conductor of the Fribourg Conservatory Symphony Orchestra
- conducted the David Oistrakh Festival's orchestra in Pärnu (Estonia), 2 concerts broadcasted live on Estonian radio
- conducted KIEV chamber orchestra in November 2006, St-Nicholas church, Kiev
- since July 2007, Musical Director of the "International Conductors' Festival Kiev"

Biographie

brannen — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 14:23:00 GMT

-Né le 11 mai 1973 à Fribourg.
-Diplôme d’enseignement puis de concert de flûte traversière à la Haute Ecole de Musique de Berne
-Flûte solo à l’Opéra du Caire (2002-2003)
-A également joué avec : Wiener Concert Verein, l’Opéra de Zurich, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Berne, l'Orchestre Symphonique de Lettonie, Schweizer Armeespiel, …
-Professeur de flûte traversière au Conservatoire de Fribourg
-Membre de la commission musicale de l’association cantonale des musiques fribourgeoises

-après avoir étudié la direction avec Hervé klopfenstein puis Dominique Roggen, il se perfectionne auprès des deux grands maîtres Neeme et Paavo Järvi
-A dirigé le "Stabat Mater" d'Arvo Pärt lors des "Biennales Bern’03"
-A dirigé le Lausanne Sinfonietta lors du concert consacré aux « Young Gods » au Montreux Jazz Festival 2005
-A dirigé l’orchestre du festival « David Oistrakh » à Pärnu (Estonie), 2 concerts en direct à la radio estonienne
-Chef d’orchestre de l’Ensemble Orchestral du Conservatoire de Fribourg
-Chef d’orchestre du « stage international d’orchestre pour adolescents des Jeunesses Musicales de Suisse » de 2004 à 2006
-Dirige l'orchestre de chambre de Kiev en novembre 2006, église St-Nicolas de Kiev
-il sera directeur artistique du « International Conductors' Festival Kiev » dès juillet 2007

les Young Gods à Montreux

brannen — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 13:46:52 GMT

A l’annonce de la venue des young gods lors de la conférence de presse du montreux jazz festival en avril dernier pour deux soirées spéciales célébrant leur 20ème anniversaire, nous n’imaginions peut-être pas encore à quel point nous allions vivre des moments aussi uniques qu’improbables, notamment lors de leur 2ème soirée qui allait réunir le trio helvétique et la sinfonietta de lausanne.

Alors que la première représentation des young gods le mercredi 13 juillet annonçait la mise en route d’un nouvel album avec de nouveaux morceaux résolument orientés vers des guitares samplées et un son plus brut que leur orientation vers les musiques ambient amorcées avec leur album ‘only heaven’, le lendemain allait nous replonger vers les premiers albums, revisitant de manière inopinée un répertoire presque oublié.

Intitulée ‘20 years old: experimental rock and classical music’, cette soirée réunissait une trentaine de musiciens issus de la sinfonietta de lausanne, ainsi que le trio emmené par franz treichler. Mais avant de nous plonger dans cette expérience inédite, les young gods avait invité le groupe américain fantômas, derrière qui se cache rien que moins que mike patton, ex chanteur de faith no more, le batteur terry bozzio ainsi que buzz osborne, le guitariste des melvins et trevor dunn à la basse, qui avait déjà accompagné patton avec le groupe mr bungle.

On connaissait les frasques du leader de faith no more et son intérêt non dissimulé pour le rock expérimental. Fantômas pourrait se traduire comme un prolongement à mr. bungle. Sur scène, une batterie démesurée était installée et allait accueillir un dave lombardo en grande forme. Mike patton, quant à lui, allait nous réserver bien des surprises en utilisant son bijou de voix de manière arrachée.

Décrire la musique de fantômas se révèle un exercice difficile mais patton la décrit comme étant une ode hardcore aux cartoons ou du ‘hardcore pour bébés’. Pas faux. Durant une heure (plus de temps aurait rendu la digestion plutôt difficile) le combo s’est livré à un véritable exercice de style. Patton, en véritable clown psychopathe, a trituré sa voix et ses machines en sortant des sons cartoonesques tandis que terry bozzio nous a démontré comment il avait largement apprivoisé son mastodonte de batterie. Un résultat déjanté, ou chaque morceau paraissait en contenir une centaine de plus et auquel ‘bip bip & le coyote’ se seraient volontiers reconnus. Troublant et hilarant!

22H45... Le miles davis replonge dans le noir. Sur scène, les musiciens de la sinfonietta s’installent, accordent leurs instruments tandis que christophe rody, le chef d’orchestre de la formation, se dirige au devant de la scène et s’installe sur son estrade. La musique commence, envoûtante et lyrique. On croit halluciner. Les envolées de violons se font plus présentes, et nous enivrent en guise d’introduction. Puis débarque franz, bernard et al. L’évidence d’une telle rencontre est alors immédiate lorsque les premières notes de ‘la fille de la mort’ se mettent à résonner. La voix rocailleuse de franz treichler s’accorde à merveille à cette formation éphémère. L’étonnement fait place à l’enchantement. L’ampleur de ce rendez-vous entre le classique et le ‘godcore’ prend toute sa dimension avec ‘l’eau rouge’, ‘envoyé’ ou encore ‘chanson rouge’. Les violons exultent. Sur les écrans, les regards brillants de quelques violonistes féminines à l’encontre de franz treichler prennent une tournure presque sexuelle en les contemplant se déchaîner sur leur instrument. Le jeune dieu chanteur apparaissait la veille en véritable chaman, il se transforme ce soir en gourou dont les instrumentistes semblent totalement dévouées.

Après une exploration du répertoire de kurtweil dans la langue de goethe et une parenthèse qui aura exploré des expérimentations plus ambient, le magnifique ‘moon revolutions’ arrive à point nommé. Le public est en transe. Un ‘skinflowers’ aux relents folks offre une excursion légère, tandis que ‘kissing the sun’ ou ‘supersonic’ nous fait jaillir des entrailles de la terre.

Vient plus tard un premier rappel et quelques ultimes plages sonores qui ne cessent de nous envelopper. On croit alors que le voyage se termine. Mais le groupe revient une dernière fois. La surprise est totale lorsque débarque sur scène mike patton à la place de franz treichler. Le chanteur américain nous délivre alors une version majestueuse de ‘did you miss me’ puis est rejoint par franz pour entonner ‘september song’ en duo. Magique. Un peu plus tôt dans la soirée, une spectatrice aura crié ‘charlotte’ vers la scène. Son vœu sera exaucé lorsque les notes de la chanson prennent vie pour mettre un point d’orgue à ce sublime concert.

Là où le mélange des genres pouvaient nous laisser sur notre faim, à l’instar de la programmation de l’auditori de barcelone lors de la dernière édition de sonar qui avait réuni richie hawtin ou dj rapture à un orchestre philharmonique, les young gods ont pris le temps de travailler pour nous offrir une soirée d’une qualité indéniable, où seul le son pouvait faire quelques fois défaut. Mais il est vrai qu’accorder un orchestre symphonique aux young gods relevait du pur défi qui ne pouvait apporter toute la puissance sonore que l’on avait retrouvée la veille lors de leur premier concert. Qu’importe, ce détail fut rapidement réduit à néant au vu du spectacle auquel nous avons pu assister.

Après avoir réinventer le rock il y a 20 ans, les young gods seraient-ils prêts à réinventer le classique? La célébration de ce mariage éphémère que nous avons partagé ce jeudi soir avec ces jeunes dieux ouvrent en tous les cas les portes aux expérimentations les plus folles.

Chapeau maestros!