Conference
Festival International de Mandoline Classique 2026
Being a composer today
Saturday, April 18, 2026- 10:30 a.m. –
Free admission
Being a composer today means questioning the creator’s place in an ever-changing musical landscape. Alain Fourchotte, a major figure in contemporary creation, defends the idea that the music of the XXIᵉ century is part of aliving tradition , nourished by influences, heritages and transmissions. He will also talk about the challenges facing every composer: getting published, finding performers, existing in a highly competitive cultural environment, etc. During this musically illustrated talk, he will also present his new work for solo mandolin: Empreintes. The work is dedicated to Sabine Marzé, whose artistic demands and interpretive finesse accompanied the writing of the piece, inspired by the world of Japanese composer Yasuo Kuwahara.
Speaker:
Alain Fourchotte
ALAIN FOURCHOTTE Trained with René Callonico and Mario Vittoria at the Conservatoire national de région de Nice, where he was awarded the Grand Prix de la Ville de Nice for composition. He perfected his skills at the Académie internationale de Nice with Jean Fournet and Hans Swarowski, then in Darmstadt with György Ligeti, Mauricio Kagel and Cristóbal Halffter. In 1980, with a grant from the French Ministry of Culture, he studied with Franco Donatoni in Siena. From 1978 to 1983, he worked with CIRM and the MANCA Festival. With a doctorate in musicology, he was a lecturer in music at the University of Nice from 1993 to 2008. His catalog of 140 works includes eight concertos, two symphonies, a piece for large orchestra(Ressac II), a chamber opera(Médée), and numerous chamber music pieces.
SABINE MARZÉ
SINCE 2007, when she won the prestigious International Solo Mandolin Competition in Osaka, Sabine Marzé has pursued an international career as a soloist. Trained at the Prince Rainier III Academy of Music in Monaco, the CRR in Nice and the CEFEDEM in Aubagne, Sabine Marzé perfected her skills with such mandolin masters as G.Weyhofen, C.Lichtenberg, J.C. Munõz, N.Maretzki. Founder and artistic director of the FIMAC, the Duo Romanesca, the Duo Azzurro and the Benzaiten ensemble, she performs in orchestras and as a soloist with various groups. In 2004, she created the mandolin class at the Conservatoire départemental des Alpes-Maritimes, and since 2023 has taught musical training at the Académie Rainier III in Monte-Carlo.
Roi Dayan
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The Festival International de Mandoline Classique invites you to unique and festive concerts in the magnificent setting of Nice’s Palais de l’Agriculture.
Friday, April 17 – 7pm
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Saturday, April 18 – 7pm
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Sunday, April 19 -10 a.m.
Master Class
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Sunday, April 19 – 4 p.m.
Latin American music
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