GRGabriel Richard has been the artistic director of the Fougères Musicales Festival since its very first edition. A violinist, he was a member of the Orchestre de Paris, one of Europe's great orchestras, and is a founding member of the Quatuor Thymos. Now a professor at Duke University in the United States, he divides his life between the stage, teaching and directing the festival.
It was his passion for the acoustics of Saint-Sulpice church that gave birth to the festival in 2012. Since then he has shaped every edition: the choice of works, the artists invited, the balance between great international names and young talent, between exceptional concerts and educational and social outreach.
“To present great music, at the highest level, in a place that elevates it — and to open it to those who would never otherwise have had access.”Gabriel Richard, artistic director
The festival's artistic line comes down to one word: exigence. Performers with brilliant international careers, an ambitious repertoire, an acoustic chosen to serve the music. Yet this standard only matters when shared: it extends into schools concerts, masterclasses, stages offered to conservatoire students, and concerts given in hospitals and care homes.
The artistic director takes part himself, playing alongside younger generations as well as the great invited soloists — affirming, season after season, that excellence and access to culture are not opposites.
