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Laurent Camatte

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Enjoying close professional relationships with numerous composers, Laurent Camatte has worked with Betsy Jolas, premiering in particular Well Met 04 (Printemps des Arts 2005), sur Do and Femme en son jardin (Péniche-Opéra, 2010). He has recorded Trio les heures and Quatuor VI with clarinet, with György Kurtág (“Hommage à R. Schumann” IRCAM, 2001), Martin Matalon (Trace II, for solo viola and electronics, with IRCAM, in Paris and in Spain), Michaël Levinas (Lettres enlacées, for solo viola)…
Several composers have written for him, among them Frédéric Martin (Concerto for Viola and Ensemble, premiered in 2011), Gilles Chumacher, and Jacques Lenot who has dedicated three works to him, one for solo viola and one with ensemble, of which the most extensive, Erinnern als Abwesenheit, was premiered and recorded at IRCAM in 2010 by the Multilatérale Ensemble, under the direction of Jean Deroyer.
Since 1997 his double profile as violist and analyst has placed him in demand as a regular guest of the radio programme L’Atelier du musicien by Jean-Pierre Derrien on France Musique, in which he illustrates any number of major works from the viola repertory, whether as a soloist or with pianists such as Nicolas Angelich, Jonas Vitaud or Jérôme Ducros.
A regular participant as an instructor in analysis within the class of Michaël Levinas at the Paris Conservatory since 2003, he was the latter’s assistant during the composition of his opera Les Nègres based on Jean Genet (November 2003 to January 2004).
In addition to his activities as a recitalist and chamber musician, Laurent Camatte regularly plays on the roster of several orchestras such as the Orchestre de Paris, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Les Musiciens du Louvre, L’Opéra national de Paris Bastille, Les Brigands and the Pelleas orchestra of which he is one of the founding members. Among his principal recordings may be noted: Troisième Round and Turbulences by Bruno Mantovani (Aeon 2003); String Trio and Quintet with Clarinet by Betsy Jolas (Accord 2006); Micromégas by Paul Méfano (Maguelone 2006); Chemins IV and Récit by L. Berio (Aeon 2007).