Jean Geoffroy
Bio ( short version ) :
Jean Geoffroy has traced his own path in the world of percussion. Solo timpanist of
The Ensemble Orchestral de Paris from 1985 to 2000, member of the Menuhin Foundation “Music Presence”. JG continues to be an indefatigable artist and has participated as a soloist in more than 35 CDs and DVDs including six of them dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach, Two new CDs will be released in 2020 “Out Game” and the Integral trio Sonatas by JS Bach. First performer of numerous pieces, he plays in the most prestigious music festivals in the world, and gives master classes and conferences worldwide for more than 30 years.
Passionate about teaching, professor at the National Conservatory of Lyon and Paris, he is now director of the Creation dpt and Post-Master CNSMDL / Artist Diploma curriculum at the CNSMD of Lyon. Author of several educational books, and collection director for Editions Lemoine and Alfonce. From 1995 to 2005, he worked in IRCAM’s pedagogical department and created many pieces for solo percussion and electronic. He is a member of IRCAM’s reading committee.
Artistic director of the Eklekto center in Geneva from 2006 to 2013, pdt of the Geneva International Competition in 2009, artistic director of Percussions in Strasbourg from 2015 to 2017, he has allowed the group to renew and perpetuate itself, with success and awards , Victory of music 2016 – Diapason of Gold – Charles Cros …
JG, is guest conductor of the Mesostics ensemble, with whom he recorded a CD/DVD dedicated to Martin Matalon and Philippe Hurel, which has been very well received by critics.
In 2017, with Christophe Lebreton, he co-produced the Light Wall System, a luminous interface for gesture capture in collaboration with the Grame (national center of musical creation), and developed new interfaces linking sound and movement, thus creating new artistic and educational perspectives. In 2019, this collaboration has been materialized with the creation of LiSiLoG association dedicated to artistic innovation and transmission.
Bio ( longer version ) :
After completing his studies at the Paris Conservatory, Jean Geoffroy made his own career in the world of percussion. Timbalier solo of the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris from 1985 to 2000, soloist and co-founder of the contemporary music ensemble Court-Circuit in 1988, member of the Menuhin Foundation “Presence of Music”. A tireless interpreter when it comes to living a new work, Jean Geoffroy has participated as a soloist in more than thirty five CDs and DVDs in collaboration with many composers. Most of them received an enthusiastic welcome from musical critics. Among them, seven are dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach, Jean-Sebastian Project Attacca who receive awards from Diapason newspaper, Monodrame, Tramages, in this last three CD’s are the first recordings of master pieces by Ivo Malec, J.L Campana, D.Tosi, E. Tanguy , Yoshihisa Taira, Bertrand Dubedout, Bruno Giner, Philippe Hurel, Isabel Urrutia, Martin Matalon...
Dedicator and first performer of many works for solo percussion, he has appeared as a guest soloist at the most prestigious international festivals. In addition to his solo activity, Jean Geoffroy gives master-classes and readings in the main universities of the world. worldwide for over 35 years.
Passionate about teaching, author of several books and methods, including a book on the pedagogy of percussion “The class of percussion a crossroads …” in the collection View point of the City of Music in Paris, he collaborates to 10 years with Percussion, published by the same publishing house …
Director of collection for Lemoine editions, he created in 2005 “Regards”, “Contemporary Perspectives”, “Contemporary Views” different collections for Alfonce publisher.
After teaching percussion at the National Conservatory of Music of Paris (1993-1998), at the Geneva High School For Music (1999-2007), Jean Geoffroy taught percussion at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Lyon 1999 to 2019. He is currently artistic director of the Post-Master Artist-Diploma cursus, of the Laboratory Current Scenes, and director of the Creation department at CNSMD Lyon. He is also professor of didactics at the National Conservatory of Music of Paris since 2006.
From 1995 to 2005, he regularly participates in IRCAM’s educational program, creating a large numerous pieces for solo percussion and electronic, and chamber music pieces. He is a member of IRCAM’s reading committee.
In 2004, he created Thierry de Mey’s Light Music for “solo conductor” and interactive device at the Biennale Music in Scene in Lyon. This collaboration opened up new perspectives and allowed him to explore other areas and directions during his solo career.
Artistic Director of the Eklekto International Percussion Center in Geneva from 2006 to 2011, President and Artistic Director of the International Competitions Claude Giot international competition for vibraphon, President of the International Percussion Competition of Geneva, he is regularly invited to be part of the jury of various international competitions.
From 2015 to 2017, Jean Geoffroy as artistic director of Percussions in Strasbourg has allowed the group to renew and perpetuate itself, from the 3rd to the 4th generation of musicians and to widen the artistic proposals. Renewal welcomed with enthusiasm by the critics with the obtaining of many prizes: Victory of Music 2016 – Diapason d’Or – Coup de Coeur Charles Cros …
For several years, Jean Geoffroy has directed various instrumental ensembles in France and South America, where he has created the instrumental ensemble of the National University of Bogota. Guest conductor of the ensemble Mesostics, he recorded a CD / DVD dedicated to Martin Matalon and Philippe Hurel, hailed by critics.
In 2016, he created the TNUA-Reseach-Lab at the National University of the Arts in Taipei and developed many projects related to the role of the performer and the evolution of the stage, the stage as an instrument.
From 2017 to 2018 he directed a Laboratory of Music Creation at the Shanghai Conservatory.
In 2017, with Christophe Lebreton, sound designer, specialist of new violins and interactive devices, he created the Light Wall System, a luminous interface for gesture capture in collaboration with Grame.
In 2019 he founded the LiSiLoG association with Christophe Lebreton, a structure dedicated to artistic innovation and transmission www.lisilog.com
Within this structure, they developed, new interfaces connecting sound and movement, thus creating new artistic and educational perspectives, especially with the work around Smartphones (Smart Hands Computers) and Vincent’s Carinola pieces and facilities: Virtual Rizhomes – Embodied Gardens – Embedded Studies
Find all the information on the personal site of Jean Geoffroy / jeangeoffroy.wordpress.com / Facebook Jean Geoffroy / Facebook Lisi Log
DISCOGRAPHY – July 2019 :
Villa Médicis 1988 – Salabert trajectoire
Ivo Malec monography – Salabert actuel 1989
Attacca – Skarbo / Production 1992
Solo Eric Tanguy – Harmonia Mundi 1994
Marim’Bach – Skarbo 1994
Russian Saxophone (with Claude Delangle) – Bis/ Production 1995
Musique à la Cour d’Angleterre – Harmonia Mundi 1995
Tristan Murail – MFA / Court Circuit 1996
Philippe Leroux – MFA / Radio France 1996
Bruno Giner Per tre Contours – Agon/ P. Vérany 1996
José Luis Campana Je est un autre – Agon/P. Vérany 1997
José Luis Campana Noctal – Skarbo/M.F.A 1997
Japanese Saxophone (avec Claude Delangle) – Bis/ Production 1998
J.S Bach 1° vol : suites BWV 1007;1009;1011 – Skarbo 1998
Guy Reibel Monograph – GRM/Radio France 1999
Suzanne Giraud – Monography MFA/Radio France 2000
J.S Bach 2°vol :suites BWV 1008;1010;1012 – Skarbo 2001
Philippe Hurel MOnography – Eon 2001
Dominique Lemaître Monography – Cig’Art production 2002
Light Music de Thierry de Mey – DVD Grame 2005
Loops Philippe Hurel – Empreinte digitale 2006
Monodrame – Skarbo / production 2006
Japanes Songs – Bis / production 2008
J.S Bach 4ème vol (sonates BWV, 1001,1003,1005) – Skarbo/Intég musique 2008
J.S Bach 5ème vol (partitas BWV 1002,1004,1006) – Skarbo/Intég Musique 2011
Endless Eleven (show by Bertrand Dubedout) – DVD éOle/Grame 2013
Light Music de Thierry de Mey – DVD Charleroi prod /2013
Pierre Jodlowski Direct Music – éOle records 2013
Mésostics ensemble Tramages – Horus 2014
Pierre Jodlowski Time & Money – éOle records 2014
J.S Bach Goldberg Variations – Skarbo 2015
De Front / live recording – éOle records 2017
Drum’s Machine – eriKm – P.D.S 2017/Outhere & Believe
Rains – Percussions de Strasbourg [artistic direction] – P.D.S 2019/Outhere & Believe
Soon : Intégrale des sonates en trio / Johann-Sebastian Project – comes out 2020
5 études de Bruno Giner
3 Intermezzi de Ton-That Tiêt
Hors Jeu / 2020
Radio France recordings :
Bruno Mantovani / Moi Jeu / pièce pour percussion solo et le Chœur de Radio France
Bruno Giner / Images de Peaux / Thaâl
Georges Crumb / Mundus Canis
José Luis Campana / Nalu Kamusi
Isable Urrutia / Mandala
Frédéric Durieux / Incidences