The orchestra
Founded in 1978, the Ensemble orchestral de Paris with its 43 musicians is the leading chamber orchestra in France. The originality of its concerts, its intimate chamber music approach to repertoires, as well as its pursuit of new venues and challenges for teaching and cultural projects, all make the Ensemble orchestral de Paris unique in the Parisian musical landscape.
Ensemble orchestral de Paris © Jean-Baptiste Millot
Following successive musical directors, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Armin Jordan, Jean-Jacques Kantorow and John Nelson (appointed Honorary Music Director), associate artists were brought on board in 2009 : Joseph Swensen, Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Advisor; the accentus chamber choir, directed by Laurence Equilbey; Deborah Nemtanu, solo violin; and the composers James McMillan and Thierry Escaich.
A collaboration with the leading artists
The Ensemble orchestral de Paris works with leading artists like Heinrich Schiff, Louis Langrée, Maxim Vengerov, Fabio Bondi, Thomas Zehetmair, Douglas Boyd, Brigitte Engerer, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, the Labèque sisters, Paul Lewis, Emmanuel Pahud, Sir Roger Norrington, Stephen Kovacevich,Vadim Repin, Roger Muraro, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, François Leleux and Alison Balsom among others.
In addition to its season at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and several Parisian concerts at Notre-Dame Cathedral, Cité de la Musique, Salle Pleyel and the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Ensemble’s reputation continues to grow both in and outside France, with its programme including: tours (Japan, Europe, South America, etc.); concerts (Lucerne, Bratislava) and leading festivals (Festival de Radio-France Montpellier, Folles Journées, Festival de Saint-Denis, Enescu Festival in Bucarest, Belgrade or Bratislava Festivals, etc.).
Over the past 10 years, the Ensemble orchestral de Paris has also made a name for itself in the studio with over 20 recordings bearing eloquent testimony to its voice, oratorio, chamber orchestra, and contemporary music repertoires. Some striking examples include Bach’s Mass in B minor performed at the Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral (DVD); Beethoven’s complete piano concertos with François-René Duchâble at the Opéra royal de Versailles (DVD); Beethoven’s complete symphonies directed by John Nelson (CD); Saint-Saëns’s concertos with Brigitte Engerer and Henri Demarquette (CD); Chopin’s piano concertos with Boris Berezovsky (CD).
The Ensemble Orchestral de Paris embraces an ethical and socially responsible outlook, expressed around four types of goals: educational, territorial, solidarity, and occupational integration. This civic spirit is particularly at play in the city of Paris where the orchestra regularly organizes artistic mini-residences consisting in cultural and educational actions. Making ourselves available to all audiences is also a key concern of the Ensemble orchestral, both in France and the Middle East. In terms of occupational integration and training, the Ensemble is developing the international “Paris Play-Direct Academy” and is working with students from the conservatories of music.
The Ensemble orchestral de Paris and its international projects are supported by the City of Paris, the French Ministry of Culture, and corporate sponsors acting under the auspices of the Crescendo Association.
