La Roque d'Anthéron and Lessay Festivals Spotlight Contemporary Piano Music

The 42nd Festival International de Piano de La Roque d'Anthéron (until August 19, 2022) and the 29th Heures Musicales de l'Abbaye de Lessay (until August 12, 2022) are featuring contemporary piano works alongside jazz and modern compositions. At La Roque d'Anthéron, René Martin dedicated three days (July 19-21) to jazz pianists Alain Jean-Marie and Abdullah Ibrahim, and three days (August 7-9) to contemporary composers selected by Florent Boffard under the theme 'Passer au présent.' Boffard paired works by Ravel with Michael Jarrell, Gérard Pesson with Fauré, and Bartók with György Ligeti. Ligeti's Piano Concerto (1986-88) was inspired by ethnomusicologist Simha Arom's research on Aka Pygmy polyrhythms from Central Africa. Vanessa Wagner opened the festival with a 'Study of the Invisible' program of ambient and minimalist music, including works by Brian Eno, Moondog, Harold Budd, Philip Glass, and composers Suzanne Ciani, Julia Wolfe, and Caroline Shaw. She performed on a Yamaha Silent Piano at the Château de Chambord. At Lessay, Léo Warynski conducted the Orchestre de Normandie and vocal ensemble De Caelis in André Caplet's 'Miroir de Jésus,' while The Sixteen under Eamonn Dougan performed James MacMillan's works.