EXCLUSIVE CREATIONS
POUR L'ENSEMBLE SOTTOVOCE
Is there a more singular encounter than that of a composer with musicians who perform one of his pieces for the very first time? Opportunities born from the common desire to create; the magic of a meeting, often orchestrated by social networks.
We dedicate this page to these composers who trusted us to perform the first performance of one of their works. Many thanks to them.
ROBAT ARWYN
Ave Maria (2021)
Born in 1959, Robat Arwyn’s choral works and songs are much performed across Wales and beyond, by renowned artists such as Sir Bryn Terfel, Rhys Meirion, The Priests, Aled Jones, and many more.
He has published eleven volumes of songs, as well as numerous individual choral pieces, and amongst his six commissions for the National Eisteddfod of Wales are Atgof o’r Sêr (2001), Er Hwylio’r Haul (2005) and Hwn yw fy Mrawd (2018), all three written specifically for Sir Bryn Terfel and supporting cast.
Over 150 of his songs have been commercially recorded, and three collections of his songs have been released on CD by Sain Records. Anfonaf Angel (Guardian Angel), is forever linked with the Wales Air Ambulance campaign since its first release as a charity single by its patron, Sir Bryn Terfel in 2011.
One of Robat Arwyn’s most internationally performed song is Benedictus, initally released by Rhys Meirion and Bryn Terfel in 2005, and subsequently recorded by The Priests for their 2008 classical album which reached No.1 in Ireland and Norway, as well as the Top 10 in numerous countries across Europe and beyond.
Born in 1959, Robat Arwyn’s choral works and songs are much performed across Wales and beyond, by renowned artists such as Sir Bryn Terfel, Rhys Meirion, The Priests, Aled Jones, and many more.
He has published eleven volumes of songs, as well as numerous individual choral pieces, and amongst his six commissions for the National Eisteddfod of Wales are Atgof o’r Sêr (2001), Er Hwylio’r Haul (2005) and Hwn yw fy Mrawd (2018), all three written specifically for Sir Bryn Terfel and supporting cast.
Over 150 of his songs have been commercially recorded, and three collections of his songs have been released on CD by Sain Records. Anfonaf Angel (Guardian Angel), is forever linked with the Wales Air Ambulance campaign since its first release as a charity single by its patron, Sir Bryn Terfel in 2011.
One of Robat Arwyn’s most internationally performed song is Benedictus, initally released by Rhys Meirion and Bryn Terfel in 2005, and subsequently recorded by The Priests for their 2008 classical album which reached No.1 in Ireland and Norway, as well as the Top 10 in numerous countries across Europe and beyond.
MICHEL BOSC
O Quam Suavis (2012)
Motet de Lérins (2015)
L'Envol des Contes (2019)
Born in 1963, Michel Bosc is a self-taught classical composer. It was William Sheller who convinced him, in 1985, to dedicate himself to writing. Since then, he has tackled chamber music, symphonic music, sacred music and stage music.
Great musicians have praised his talent: the flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal (for a trio of flutes), the countertenors James Bowman and Bertrand Dazin (creators of his cantata They are there), the soprano Natalie Dessay (for the melody Madinina), John Walz, first cello of the Los Angeles Opera and Monica Cecconi-Botella, first Grand Prix of Rome (for his Elegy for strings).
As a composer, Michel Bosc is the author of more than two hundred works, some of which have been performed in Paris (Théâtre du Châtelet, Salle Gaveau, Musée d'Orsay, Palais de Tokyo), Angers, Saumur, Tours, Fontevrault, Annecy, Strasbourg, Lille, Lyon, Poitiers, Toulon, but also in Wavre (Belgium), Landgoed Vilsteren (Netherlands), Madrid (Spain), Brno (Czech Republic), Bruchsal (Germany), Pasadena and San Jose ( United States) as well as in Yokohama, Tokyo and Kobe (Japan). As an orchestrator, he has made numerous arrangements and transcriptions for symphonic or chamber groups.
Born in 1959, Robat Arwyn’s choral works and songs are much performed across Wales and beyond, by renowned artists such as Sir Bryn Terfel, Rhys Meirion, The Priests, Aled Jones, and many more.
He has published eleven volumes of songs, as well as numerous individual choral pieces, and amongst his six commissions for the National Eisteddfod of Wales are Atgof o’r Sêr (2001), Er Hwylio’r Haul (2005) and Hwn yw fy Mrawd (2018), all three written specifically for Sir Bryn Terfel and supporting cast.
Over 150 of his songs have been commercially recorded, and three collections of his songs have been released on CD by Sain Records. Anfonaf Angel (Guardian Angel), is forever linked with the Wales Air Ambulance campaign since its first release as a charity single by its patron, Sir Bryn Terfel in 2011.
One of Robat Arwyn’s most internationally performed song is Benedictus, initally released by Rhys Meirion and Bryn Terfel in 2005, and subsequently recorded by The Priests for their 2008 classical album which reached No.1 in Ireland and Norway, as well as the Top 10 in numerous countries across Europe and beyond.
Le Motet de Lérins is written by Michel Bosc in 2015. It is dedicated to the Italian musicologist and palaeographer Leandra Scappaticci, who died tragically at the age of 41. It bears the name of the Lérins Islands, a place very dear to the heart of Leandra Scappaticci.
This piece was performed for the very first time during a concert in the Ploemeur Church, July 22, 2016 - This recording was made during a concert held in the Stables Church- sur-Mer (Brittany, France), September 10, 2016.
Silentium Est Pax (2017)
MEMLI KELMENDI
Born in Pejë-Kosovo in 1986, Memli Kelmendi began studying music at a young age. In 2010, he completed his university studies at the Faculty of Arts in Pristina (Kosovo), in the music education section. He is continuing his doctoral studies in Skopje, where he is interested in music production and sound engineering., Under the supervision of Professor Valentino Skenderovski. Memli Kelmendi also follows a musical writing course for films and short films, under the supervision of Professor Darko Marinovski. He finished his studies by studying choir conducting with Bajar Berisha, Recognized Professor of the University of Prestina.
Memli Kelmendi takes over the direction of the Peja Conservatory Choir, "Halit Kasapolli", which he conducts notably in Italy and in particular in Venice where the choir performs in four different buildings.
In 2016, Memli Kelmendi founded the Siparantum Choir and has directed it ever since. In just two years, the choir has already performed in Kosovo and Croatia.
Memli Kelmendi has written the music for many short and feature films. His most famous pieces, "Agnus Dei" and "Ater Umbra" are performed in several countries around the world. He is currently a professor at the "Halit Kasapoli" music school in Peja, and at the AAB University in Prishtina, where he teaches conducting and writing.
As a composer and conductor, Memli Kelmendi has the opportunity to perform in different countries: USA, Philippines, Italy, Romania, Argentina, Croatia, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey or even Macedonia.
"Silentium Est Pax" is a piece written by Memli Kelmendi specially for the Sottovoce Ensemble during the summer of 2017. It is performed as a world premiere in front of more than 300 people at the Calvairiennes Monastery in Redon, on the occasion of a concert organized by the Friends of the Calvairiennes Monastery and the Festival Les Musicales de Redon as part of the European Heritage Days.
The play was performed by the Kosovo Philharmonic Choir on June 2, 2018 in Pristina, Kosovo.
NOBUYA MONTA
Three Little Japanese Psalms (2016)
Born in Osaka, Nobuya Monta studied oboe with Isamu Iwasaki at the Kyoto University of the Arts and then graduated with a Masters in composition from the University of Osaka. Nobuya Monta continued her studies in composition with Tim Ewers and Edward Gregson at the College of Goldsmiths, at the University of London. He regularly writes concert reviews for Ongaku-Gendai, one of the largest Japanese musical reviews.
Nobuya Monta is a visiting professor at the University of Otemon Gakuin and was named Composer in Residence at the International Festival of Composers of Hasting in 2013 and 2015. His major works are: the sonata for clarinet and piano number 3 (including the first was produced by Michele Incenzo and broadcast on Vatican Radio in 2005 and 2009); Works for Clarinet (created at the Maison du Japon in 2008), the Flower Sonata and the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (the first of which took place in London in 2010).
Nobuya Monta wrote three small Japanese psalms dedicated to the Sottovoce Ensemble in 2016. Two of these psalms will be performed by the Sottovoce Ensemble during the 2017 summer season.
FLORENT GAUTHIER
Shadows of the Past (2017)
Collaboration to come.
Florent GAUTHIER is a French composer, born in 1969 in Orléans. After studying at the conservatory of his hometown (where he worked in particular with the composer Roland Creuze), he continued his musical studies in Tours. In parallel with his studies at the musicology faculty (he obtained his CAPES in 1993); he studies with Jean-Clément Jollet and Dominique Saur at the city's CNR.
He discovers harmony, counterpoint, and the premature death of his childhood friend in 1990, pushes him into the path of composition.
During his national service in Paris, he met Pierre Boulez and followed the courses of the College de France before entering the CNSM in Paris in the class of Alain Bancquart where he obtained a First Prize. He then met great independent composers such as Gyorgy Ligeti, Henri Dutilleux and even André Boucourechliev.
Jean-Sébastien Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Claude Debussy or Witold Lutoslawski, Alfred Schnittke and Toru Takemitsu are among the most admired masters of the composer. His colorful writing is a constant search for sensuality, simplicity and humor.
Settled in Marseille since 1995, he leads a double career of pedagogue and composer within various residences.
Its catalog of works covers various formations and we can compare certain works such as "Persistence" (90) for 5 instruments, "Fixed impression" (93) for clarinet only, "Lightness of the earth" (93) for clarinet quartet and narrator, "Urlicht" (95) for orchestra, the Chamber Concerto "Eliasis" (96) for 16 musicians, "The Secret of the Three Roses" (1999- 2000) for orchestra, the "Stabat Mater" ( 2005- 07) for 5 voices and organ, "L'enfance d'un jour" (2007) for 3 voices and piano, sound "Recueil de fantaisies" (2007) for soprano and piano, "Les lumière d'éros" ( 2008), his erotic poems for choir, "Dido and Aeneas", his chamber opera for choir with 6 voices and actors (2009), "Loops" his second string quartet (2010), "Circus Maximus" for wind quintet (2010), "Le Songe de Neptune" (2010-2011) his concerto for flute and strings, or "... a landscape of chaos and desolation ..." (2014) for double bass and large orchestra, "Le livre from Sydrac "( 2014 - 2015) his ballet for 12 dancers and chamber orchestra, Textures (2017) for accordion solo, Moving Colors (2017) for brass quintet ...
Florent GAUTHIER is played in the biggest festivals (Montpellier, La Chaise Dieu, Marseille Opera ...) and collaborates with renowned artists (the Clément Janequin Ensemble, the Siend quartet, Pierre-Yves Artaud, Fabrizio Maria Carminati, Samuel Coquard, Paul Méfano, Jean-Louis Beaumadier, Lorna R. Windsor, Christelle Abinasr, choreographer Antonino Ceresia ...), L'Ensemble Sottovoce, Florentino Calvo, Vincent Beer-Poser, Jacques Mauger, Trio Polycordes, Fanny Vicens ...
