" I first met the EPSILON BRASS ENSEMBLE during the Narbonne International Competition for brass ensembles in 1988. With their talent and energy, these artists form a wonderful group, considered as one of the finest in the world, representing the french school of brass playing.

I congratulate them and wish them a great career. "

Maurice André

PRESS

______________________________________________________________________

In December 1986, some friends, all graduates of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, decided to form a group together. The Epsilon Ensemble was born.
After two years of intense work, they won a prize at the International Brass Ensembles Competition in Narbonne (France) in May 1988. Maurice André, president of the competition became the mentor of the Ensemble, and their career continued with concerts and tours around the world. Their original ideas and repertoire are displayed in their CD " Musique Française pour quintette de cuivres et harmonie " recorded in 1992 with the president's band (the Garde Républicaine) and composed of music commissioned by Epsilon.
In April 1993, Epsilon won a prize in the International Chamber Music Competition in Osaka (Japan), holding its own against the top string ensembles of that time.

Numerous French institutions, national and private, support the Epsilon Ensemble in their educational projects and productions (Ministère de la Culture, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères,  AFAA, Conseils Régionaux et Généraux, DRAC,  ADDM, SPEDIDAM, SACEM,  ADAMI).

Their eclectic repertoire includes many styles of music: baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary and also jazz. Their concerts are always memorised and are more of a musical spectacle than a regular concert.

The impact of the ensemble on the younger generation has solicited numerous Master classes and educational concerts.

Epsival, the brass and percussion symposium of the Epsilon Ensemble is issued from this pedagogical emphasis.

Since 1994, it takes place every summer in the region of Limoges, France, along with the International Brass Week Festival.  These two manifestations have become the highlight in the life of the Epsilon Ensemble.

Discover the musicians

The Various Performances of the Epsilon Ensemble

  • In Recital : 90 minutes of an original program, played by memory, without amplification, in churches, theatres, concert halls or outdoors. Works of Bach, Vivaldi, Bernstein, Piazzola, Golson...

  • With organ : the works interpreted show the rich sonority of the organ. Pieces by Bach, Fauré, Gabrieli, Delerue...

  • With band : an original repertoire with band accompaniment in varying levels of difficulty. Works of Boutry, Rauber, Naude Lafosse, Lancen, Dubois.

  • Mixed Choir or Children's Choir : Michel Legrand wrote a suite of European songs for Christmas for the ensemble. The accompaniment with piano or with orchestra of any vocal music can be transcribed for brass instruments by the Epsilon Ensemble.

  • With symphony orchestra or chamber orchestra : " The Bear " by Jean-Loup Lognon is an example of the original repertoire for this formation. Several new compositions have been commissioned by the Epsilon Ensemble and are soon to be completed.

  • Large Ensemble of Brass and Percussion : an orchestra of 10 to 30 musicians and the most astounding of any groups of chamber music. Pieces by Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, Bach, Parker.

  • Accompaniment and musical figurations of varied spectacles (cinema, circus, theatre, dance...).

The group offers:

  • Master Classes (private or group lessons)

  • Educational Concerts in schools

  • Teaching in Symposiums (Music schools,  Amateur musical organizations...)

  • Instrumental Presentations

  • Jury Member for Competitions

 

retour.gif (1191 octets)