Michel Tabachnik
Encyclopedia
Michel Tabachnik is a Swiss
conductor
and composer
.
, where he studied piano, composition and conducting. As a young conductor he was a protégé of Igor Markevitch
, Herbert von Karajan
and Pierre Boulez
, acting as the latter's assistant for four years, mainly with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
, London. This led him to become closely involved with conducting and to perform many world premieres, particularly those of Iannis Xenakis
.
, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Lorraine and the Ensemble InterContemporain
in Paris
. His roster of orchestras includes the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
, Tokyo NHK, Orchestre de Paris
, and festivals such as Lucerne
, Salzburg
and Aix en Provence.
In the operatic field Michel Tabachnik has conducted in the opera house
s of Paris, Geneva, Zürich, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Rome and Montreal. He has been a regular guest with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, where he led, among other works, Lohengrin
, Madama Butterfly
, Carmen
and The Rake's Progress
.
He is also a pedagogue. In addition to leading Master Classes in Amsterdam (NOS), Lisbon (the Gulbenkian Foundation), Paris Conservatoire, Stockholm Conservatory, and others, he has also held the position of Professor of Conducting at both the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto
(1984–1991), and the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen (1993–2001).
Michel Tabachnik records for Erato and Lyrinx, with whom he has been associated since 1991. His discography ranges from Beethoven through Wagner
to Honegger and Xenakis, amongst others. His recording of the Schumann
Piano Concerto (with Catherine Collard
as soloist) was voted Best Performance of the work by the international jury at the Radio Suisse Romande
.
In 1995, Michel Tabachnik was named Artist of the Year by the Italian "Centro Internazionale di Arte e Cultura" in Rome.
. In 2001 and 2006, Swiss and French judiciary cleared him of all participation in collective suicides in Salvan and Cheiry (Switzerland, October 1994) then Vercors (France, December 1995).
In 2008, Michel Tabachnik became the new chief conductor/artistic director of the Brussels Philharmonic.
He has been invited to perform with orchestras such as:
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Early years
Michel Tabachnik was born in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, where he studied piano, composition and conducting. As a young conductor he was a protégé of Igor Markevitch
Igor Markevitch
Igor Markevitch was a Ukrainian, Italian, and French composer and conductor.- Origin :Igor Markevich was born in Kiev, to an old family of Ukrainian Cossack starshyna ennobled in the 18th century...
, Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
and Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez
Pierre Boulez is a French composer of contemporary classical music, a pianist, and a conductor.-Early years:Boulez was born in Montbrison, Loire, France. As a child he began piano lessons and demonstrated aptitude in both music and mathematics...
, acting as the latter's assistant for four years, mainly with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
, London. This led him to become closely involved with conducting and to perform many world premieres, particularly those of Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers...
.
International
He has held the position of Chief Conductor of the Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra in LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Lorraine and the Ensemble InterContemporain
Ensemble InterContemporain
The Ensemble InterContemporain is a French chamber orchestra, based in Paris at the Cité de la musique and IRCAM, which specialises in contemporary classical music....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His roster of orchestras includes the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Tokyo NHK, Orchestre de Paris
Orchestre de Paris
The Orchestre de Paris is a French orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra performs most of its concerts at the Salle Pleyel.-History:In 1967, following the dissolution of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conductor Charles Munch was called on by the Minister of Culture,...
, and festivals such as Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
and Aix en Provence.
In the operatic field Michel Tabachnik has conducted in the opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s of Paris, Geneva, Zürich, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Rome and Montreal. He has been a regular guest with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, where he led, among other works, Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
, Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
, Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
and The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress is an opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings A Rake's Progress of William Hogarth, which Stravinsky had seen on May 2, 1947, in a Chicago...
.
Pedagogue
Michel Tabachnik works with several youth orchestras. He was Artistic Director of l'Orchestre des Jeunes du Québec (1985–1989) and, over a twelve-year period, l'Orchestre des Jeunes de la Méditerranée, which he founded in 1984.He is also a pedagogue. In addition to leading Master Classes in Amsterdam (NOS), Lisbon (the Gulbenkian Foundation), Paris Conservatoire, Stockholm Conservatory, and others, he has also held the position of Professor of Conducting at both the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
(1984–1991), and the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen (1993–2001).
Composer
In addition to his work as a conductor, Michel Tabachnik is also a composer. He has been honored with many commissions including "La Légende de Haïsha" for the anniversary of the Bicentenaire de la Révoltion Française, "Le Cri de Mohim" for the 700th Year of Switzerland, and "Le Pacte des Onze" for I.R.C.A.M. Paris.Michel Tabachnik records for Erato and Lyrinx, with whom he has been associated since 1991. His discography ranges from Beethoven through Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
to Honegger and Xenakis, amongst others. His recording of the Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
Piano Concerto (with Catherine Collard
Catherine Collard
Catherine Collard was a French classical pianist.She entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 14, where she studied with Yvonne Lefébure and Germaine Mounier. She was awarded the first prize in piano in 1964, and the first prize in chamber music en 1966...
as soloist) was voted Best Performance of the work by the international jury at the Radio Suisse Romande
Radio Suisse Romande
Radio suisse romande is an enterprise unit within public-broadcasting corporation SRG SSR. It is responsible for the production and transmission of French-language radio programmes in Switzerland...
.
In 1995, Michel Tabachnik was named Artist of the Year by the Italian "Centro Internazionale di Arte e Cultura" in Rome.
OST
Between 1994 and 2004, he has been implicated in the dramatic events of the Order of the Solar TempleOrder of the Solar Temple
The Order of the Solar Temple also known as Ordre du Temple Solaire in French, and the International Chivalric Organization of the Solar Tradition or simply as The Solar Temple was a secret society based upon the modern myth of the continuing existence of the Knights Templar...
. In 2001 and 2006, Swiss and French judiciary cleared him of all participation in collective suicides in Salvan and Cheiry (Switzerland, October 1994) then Vercors (France, December 1995).
Rebirth
Since September 2005, Michel Tabachnik is chief-conductor of the Noord Nederlands Orkest (NNO).In 2008, Michel Tabachnik became the new chief conductor/artistic director of the Brussels Philharmonic.
Publications
- "De la musique avant toute chose", Preface of Régis Debray, Trial, Buchet-Chastel Editions, 2008
- "Il était une fois un enfant", Novel, de l'Aire Editions, 1999
- "Bouc émissaire", Preface of Pierre Boulez, Michel Lafon Editions, 1997
Compositions
- Dyptique écho, violin concerto 2008
- Nord pour orchestre 2006
- Concerto pour piano et orchestre de chambre 2003
- La Légende de Haïsha 1989
- Évocation 1994
- Le Cri de Mohim 1991
- Prélude à la Légende 1989
- Élévation 1990
- Pacte des onze (Evangile selon Thomas) 1985
- 7 Rituels Atlantes 1984
- l'Arch 1982
- Cosmogonie 1981
- Les Perséïdes 1981
- Trois Impressions 1975
- Argile 1974
- Éclipses 1974
- Movimenti 1973
- D'autres Sillages 1972
- Sillages 1972
- Mondes 1972
- Invention à 16 voix 1972
- Fresque 1969
- Frise 1968
- Supernovae 1967
He has been invited to perform with orchestras such as:
- The Orchestre National de FranceOrchestre National de FranceThe Orchestre national de France is a symphony orchestra run by Radio France. It has also been known as the Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion française and Orchestre national de l'Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française .Since 1944, the orchestra has been based in the Théâtre...
(Paris) - L'Orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris
- The Berliner Philharmoniker
- The BBC Symphony OrchestraBBC Symphony OrchestraThe BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
(Londres) - l'Opera di Roma, le Stockholm Filharmoniska Orkester
- l'Orchestre de la Suisse RomandeOrchestre de la Suisse RomandeThe Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall...
(Genève) - The NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo), etc.