Born in Moravia, Irena Chřibková graduated from the Kromeríz Conservatory and avent on with her studies under Prof. Milan Šlechta at the Prague Academy of Arts, where she obtained the First Prize of Organ.

In 1985, she was granted a scholarship by the French Government and studied under Susan Landale at the Rueil-Malmaison National Conservatory. At the completion of her studies, she was awarded First Prize a gold medal by unanimous decision of the Jury.

She is a winner of several international competitions and a finalist of the International Organ Competition “Grand Prix de Bordeaux”. In 1984, she received an honourable mention at the International Organ Competition “Prague Spring”.

She has taken part in a number of organ masterclasses lead by the most outstanding artists.

From 1988 to 1994, she was an organ professor at the Kromeriz Conservatory. She presently teaches in Prague. She was a member of the jury of several organ competitions and she lead the “Young Organiste Interpretation Masterclasses” in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Organist of St. James’ Basilica in Prague, she has given concerts in all the countries of Europe and in Russia.

She has made recordings for the Czech radio and presently works with a Czech musical publishing house “Multisonic”.

http://www.chribkova.com/index_en.php

He grad­u­ated with hon­ours from the Acad­emy of Music in War­saw, organ class of Feliks Rącz­kow­ski, in 1972. In the period of He stud­ied com­po­si­tion 1969–1974 under Tade­usz Paciorkiewicz.

In 1972 he won a spe­cial prize at the organ impro­vi­sa­tion com­pe­ti­tion in Kiel.

He has played in nearly every coun­try in Europe and also in Israel, USA. Canada, South Korea and Japan. He has per­formed in such renowned places as the National Phil­har­monic in War­saw, Kon­certhaus in Stock­holm, P. Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Notre Dame Cathe­dral in Paris, King’s Col­lege Chapel in Cam­bridge, Pope Paul VI Hall in Vat­i­can, St. Patrick’s Cathe­dral in New York, or Town Hall in Adelaide.

He has made many radio and tele­vi­sion record­ings in Poland and abroad. He has also recorded over 20 records (LPs and CDs) for such com­pa­nies as: Pol­skie Nagra­nia, Veri­ton, EMI-Electrola, Life Records, DUX, Musi­con, Dabrin­ghaus Grimm and Mega­vox. In 2003 the Audio-Video Pro­duc­ers’ Union awarded him with the “Dou­ble Plat­inum Record” title for a CD recorded in the Licheń Basilica.

In 1992 he became tit­u­lar Pro­fes­sor of Music Arts. He is pro­fes­sor of the organ class at the Fry­deryk Chopin Uni­ver­sity of Music in War­saw and the Karol Lip­iński Acad­emy of Music in Wrocław.

In the period of 1987–1993 he was Vice-Rector for Artis­tic Affairs, and in 1993–1999 he held the func­tion of Rec­tor of the Fry­deryk Chopin Acad­emy of Music in War­saw. Between 1993 and 2000 he was a mem­ber of the exec­u­tive com­mit­tee of AECAM, the Asso­ci­a­tion of Rec­tors of Euro­pean Music Acad­e­mies. He was also Chair­man of the Con­fer­ence of Rec­tors of Artis­tic Uni­ver­si­ties in Poland (KRUA).

He has received many medals and awards includ­ing the Dis­tin­guished Cul­tural Activist Award, the Golden Cross of Merit and the “Eccle­siae Pop­u­loque Servi­tium Praes­tanti” medal, and a medal “For Mer­its to Cul­ture” Glo­ria Artis.

In 2008 he was awarded with a title of an Hon­orary Doc­tor of Keimy­ung Uni­ver­sity in South Korea. He is an hon­orary cit­i­zen of the fol­low­ing cities: From­bork, Jele­nia Góra, Kłodzko and Pola­nica, the title was con­ferred to him for his achieve­ments in pro­mot­ing music culture.

Born in 1974 in Cholet, Marc Chiron began his musical training in his home tocan before attending the Conservatory in Nantes where he studied organ, piano and composition, as well as music analysis and history of music.

After having been awarded the Gold Medal in Pascale Mélis’ organ class, he continued his training with Olivier Latry at the Saint-Maur Conservatory where he won the Gold Medal in 1993.

Then he became a student at the CNSM in Paris, where he graduated with full honors in 1997 (diploma of the Superior Training Class), obtaining also the First Prize in Organ ( classes presented by Michel Chapuis, Olivier Latry, Michel Bouvard and Loïc Mallié), as well as in Basso Continuo and Renaissance Polyphony.

In 1992, he won the First Prize of the U.F.A.M. as well as the Inter-Conservatories Prize of the city of Angers in 1995.

In 2000, he reached the final round at the International Organ Competition ‘Grand Prix de Chartres’.

He frequently presents recitals all over France and abroad. In Paris, he performed several contemporary works at the church of St. Eustache and the Champs-Elysées Theater.

Marc Chiron also performs in concert with orchestras or vocal ensembles : Orchestre National du Capitole of Toulouse directed by Michel Plasson, the Toulouse Chamber Orchestra, the Ensemble Vocal of Montpellier, the Ensemble Vocal of Toulouse …).

He bas recorded works with numerous ensembles and soloists. Recently, he was appointed titular organist at the Montauban Cathedral.

http://www.marcchiron.com/

The Russian and French Slava Chevliakov, was born in 1970 in Budapest.

In 1989 he entered Moscow’s Tchaikovsky State Conservatoire of Music, taking courses in organ, piano, the theory and history of music, orchestration, ethnomusicology and other subjects.

In 1998 he was awarded first prize in the Concours d’Orgue of the UFAM in Paris.

Slava holds a French State Diploma as an organ teacher in France. He is the only non-French organist to have been awarded this title by the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.

Since he speaks several languages, Slava Chevliakov has acted as interpreter in master classes given by the most prestigious artists at the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow.

Slava Chevliakov has given concerts in all Europe.

He is at present official organist for the church of Saint Léon in Paris. Additionally he teaches the organ at two Conservatoires in the Paris region and is a regular jury member for competitions.

Slava CHEVLIAKOV – Chartres 2008

http://www.slava-chevliakov.com/

Born in Le Mans (Sarthe) in 1947, she began her musical studies at Le Mans with Leon Biautte and continues at the Conservatory of the city (music theory, counterpoint, piano, organ) with Éliane Lejeune Bonnier and Gérard Letellier) before entering the Paris Conservatory where she studied Roger Boutry for harmony, Jean-Claude Henry for counterpoint, Norbert Dufourcq for the history of music, Betsy Jolas for analysis, finally, Rolande Falcinelli for organ (first prize in 1974) and while perfecting the piano with Lelia Gousseau, professor of piano and organ at the Municipal School of Music Fresnes (1974-1985).

She received the award for Vocation (1977) and the medal of honor of Saint-Julien (diocese of Le Mans, 1992).

She is a member of the Academy of Maine since 1993.

She teaches piano and organ since October 1997 and provides continuing education for liturgical organists in the diocesan seminary of the Star.

Holder of the organ in the Cathedral Saint Julien du Mans.

Jacques Charpentier was born October 18, 1933 in Paris.

Young, he began his own the study of music at the piano. From 1950 to 1953, he worked with Jeanine Rueff, pianist and composer who was French First Second Grand Prix de Rome in 1948 (it was such accompanist at the Conservatoire de Paris). He studied musical composition.

Then he went to India (Bombay, Calcutta), where for 18 months, he studied Indian music. Returning to France in 1954, he entered the Paris Conservatoire to study with Olivier Messiaen, the philosophy of music, and with Tony Aubin, composition.

In 1959, he entered the Jeunesses Musicales de France, and in 1966, the Minister André Malraux appointed him Chief Inspector of Music, and later, in 1975, he was appointed Inspector General of Music at the State Secretariat Culture. He was Director of Music and Lyric Art and Dance at the Ministry of Culture and Communication in 1979 to 81. He founded at Sénanque Abbey in Provence, in 1975, the Study Centre Gregorian and compared traditional music. He was the author of educational books on Gregorian Chant and Indian music.

He was appointed in 1974 Great Organ of the owner of the church of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet (5th arrondissement of Paris). He is also a lecturer orchestration at the Paris Conservatoire. After 1981, he was Director of Music for the City of Nice. He will reside while in Carcassonne. He won in 1966 the Koussevitsky Awards and in 1978, the Grand Music Prize of the City of Paris. Jacques Charpentier was made a Commander of the National Order of Merit in 2006. The organist Marie-Agnes Grall-Menet succeeded J. Charpentier in the Greater forum Organ of St. Nicolas du Chardonnet in 1989.

Main works of Jacques Charpentier: Karnatic Studies for Piano (1957-1984) [72 studies Karnatic modes of traditional Indian music]; Mass for all time for organ (1974); Organ Book (1973); Study No. 1 (Guitar, 1974); Prelude (keyboard, 1975); For a carillon (1980); Sketch (flute and piano, 1972); For an apsara (2 harps, 1970); Sinfonia Sacra for Easter Day (orchestra, 1965); Short Symphony (1958); Symphony No. 3 Shiva Nataraja (1969); Brasil Symphony No. 4 in honor of Villa-Lobos (1973); Symphony No. 5 (1978); Eightfold Concerto 8 Instr. wind and orchestra (1968); Trumpet Concerto (1976). Vocal music of J. Charpentier includes various works, including The pastouriaux Crusade (1963 oratorio for choir and percussion); Stained glass windows for Notre Dame (1975 high voice and strings); Genesis (1973 oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra); Beatrix Planissolas (1971, opera, in the Occitan language, created at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 1971). His Organ Book is a command for Contemporary Music Days Metz, 1973.

Member of the Jury Grand Prix de Chartres 1992

From 1951 he was successively organist at Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, then Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs in Paris. At the same time, he delved into organbuilding, in order to increase his knowledge of the instrument. In 1964, after having closely observed the construction by Alfred Kern of the organ of Saint-Séverin, he was appointed organist, remaining there for more than thirty-five years.

From 1956 on, he held professorships at the conservatories of Strasbourg and later Besançon, then at the National Conservatory in Paris from 1986 to 1995 ; he has there by imparted to his students a musical language and technique well grounded in musicological research and the historical study of organbuilding. His teaching had a major influence on the present generation of the French School of organ playing. Yet today, Michel Chapuis shares his extensive knowledge through organ academies, whether in Europe, in Japan or in the United States.

His countless recordings have become standarts in the field of interpretation of German and French music from the 17th and 18th centuries ; his complete Bach and Buxtehude recordings, his records devoted to pieces by François and Louis Couperin, Grigny, Titelouze, Dandrieu, Clérambault, Daquin, and so on… are the starting point for any serious discography.

Born into a family of musicians in 1982, Anne-Gaëlle Chanon takes her first music tessons (organ, violin and piano) at the age of six at the École Nationale de Musique in Mâcon.

After 4 years of studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Lyon in the organ classes of Jean Boyer and Liesbeth Schlumberger, she obtains in 2003 the irst Organ Prize, the jury attributing her unanimously an A mark.

Afterwards, she leaves for Milan to study with Lorenzo Ghielmi at the Accademia Internazionale della Musica Antica during two years, obtaining the Diploma of Ancient Music. In October 2005, Anne-Gaëlle Chanon Ovins the First Prize at the 9th International Organ Competition Xavier Darasse in Toulouse. In September 2007, she is ranking among the awardees of the 15th Paul Hofhaimer International Organ Competition in Innsbruck (Austria).

From 2000 to 2003 she was appointed organist at the St. Jean Church in Lyon (Ahrend organ), between 2003 and 2005 she was appointed at the Lanzini-dell’Orto organ in Sant’Alessandro Church in Milan. Today she is playing the Merklin-Haerpfer organ at the Eglise Réformée du Marais in Paris.

Anne-Gaëlle Chanon is giving concerts throughout Europe and Latin America. She enjoys playing music of contemporary composera such as Pierre Farago, Gilbert Amy, Bernard Foccroulle or Thierry Escaich. Her work has been encouraged by various support programs such as Déclic set up by Cultures France in partnership with Radio France and Mécénat Musical Société Générale.

Holding the certificate of proficiency, Anne-Gaëlle Chanon is appointed organ teacher at the Aubervilliers – La Courneuve Conservatory since 2006.

As a specialist of French music of the 17th century, she has also published a research report entitled L’interprète de Jehan Titelouze.

Anne-Gaëlle CHANON – Chartres 2009

http://www.annegaellechanon.fr/Site/Accueil.html

French musician, Frédéric Champion has won several prizes and awards for performing organ music from the 16th through the 21st century. Having performed regularly as a soloist and with orchestras and choirs, Champion has given several concerts in Europe, Asia and North America. He has also created pieces exclusively for the organ, as well as for organ and percussions or choirs. Champion is also linked to transcribing symphonic pieces for the organ. He also cultivates the art of improvisation on the organ and the fortepiano.

Born in Lyon in 1976, Champion starts taking piano lessons at the age of 8 and then pursues advanced musical studies at different conservatories: Conservatoire National de Région in Lyon where he studies organ with Louis Robilliard; Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris (organ class with Michel Bouvard); and Centre d’Études Supérieures de Musique (CESM) in Toulouse (organ and harpsichord classes with Jan Willem Jansen). Alongside his organ and harpsichord classes, Frédéric Champion specializes in pianoforte with Yasuko Uyama at the Conservatoire National de Région in Toulouse and professors Edoardo Torbianelli (repertoire) and Rudolf Lutz (improvisation) at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland.

Between 1998 and 2004, awards in international competitions include 1st Prize at the Minoru Yoshida Tokyo-Musashino Competition and “Bachpreisträger” at the Leipzig Bach Competition both in 2004; 2nd Prize at both the Concours de musique de chambre FNAPEC in Paris (organ & percussions) and the Luzern Competition in 2002; 1st Prize at the International Competition Gottfried Silbermann (Freiberg, D) in 2001; 2nd Prize at the International Competition “Musica Antiqua” in Bruges in 2000; and winner at the Xavier Darasse International Competition in Toulouse in 1998.

And in October 2008, Champion won 1st Prize and Audience Prize at the Canadian International Organ Competition (CIOC), a prestigious new competition in Montreal that plays an important role in recognizing and promoting the value of organ music. Since, Frédéric Champion acts as its first ambassador and his performances are regularly aired on both Radio-Canada and CBC, official broadcasters of CIOC events. Thanks to his victory at the CIOC, Champion has given concerts across North America in 2009 and 2010 (Salt Lake City, Toronto, Cincinnati, Calgary, Montreal, Lachine, Rimouski, Edmonton, Savannah, etc.), and recorded a CD of French Music (ATMA Classique). This CD has received rave reviews in the American Organist and in Choir and Organ (UK) which declares:
“Champion is one of the finest young organist you’ll ever hear!”

http://www.fredericchampion.com/topic/index.html

Suzanne Chaisemartin, who studied under Marcel Dupré, is one of the most distinguished organiste of our time. She debuted an international career after her brilliant studies at the “Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique” of Paris, which were crowned by the First Prize in organ and improvisation.

French and Foreign critics greeted the birth of a first-class artist.

At Marcel Dupré’s request, she was appointed acting organist at Saint-Sulpice during his recital tours abroad.

Titular organist of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at Saint-Augustin in Paris and the successor of Gigout, Huré and Fleury, her career encompasses concerts, recording sessions and radio broadcasts around the world.

She was soloist for Radio France. Her repertoire comprise the complete important music literature, from baroque music to contempory music, including those symphonie organ compositions she discovered with Marcel Dupré.

Suzanne Chaisemartin was also professor of organ at the “École Normale de Musique” in Paris, at the “Conservatoire National de Région” in Dijon and assistant professor at the “Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique” in Paris.

Her exemplary professional dedication will assure her the titles of “Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite” and “Officier des Arts et Lettres”.