Henri-Claude Fantapié

Henri-Claude Fantapié (born in Nice, France 1938) is a French conductor and composer. Pupil of Marc-Cesar Scotto, Eugène Bigot, Igor Markevitch (conducting) and of Henri Dutilleux (composition).

As a member of an old family of Nice, he studied clarinet, harmony and counterpoint at the Conservatoire de Nice with Eugène Gosselin and René Saorgin, and conducting (First Prize in 1958), chamber music and song at the Académie de musique Rainier III of Monaco (with Marc-César Scotto, Marcel Gonzalès and Lucien Marzo). Little nephew of the composer and conductor César Fantapié and nephew of the pianist Blanche Fantapié.In Paris, he studied conducting with Eugène Bigot, composition with Henri Dutilleux and musicology with Jacques Chailley. He has won prizes at several international competitions for both conducting and composition, such as in

*1960 "Concours International des Jeunes chefs d'orchestre de Besançon"

His career began in

*1959-1963 as Director of "Orchestre de chambre de la Fondation de Monaco"

*1964-1982 "Director of Les Solistes de Paris"

*from 1972 - Director of "La Jeune Philharmonie de Seine-Saint-Denis""
*from 1982 - Director of DIONYSOS chamber orchestra.

Invited to conduct in England, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Columbia.

His pedagogical activity in France and Europe began in 1965 as Director of Conservatoire Municipal Agréé de Musique et de Danse de Noisy le Sec and Manager of the Association des Conservatoires de Seine-Saint-Denis anf Fédération des Unions de Conservatoires member of the European Union of Music Schools."From 1964-1972, he is Manager of the French Union of French conductors and from 1975 Professor of conducting (Centre Polyphonique de Paris then in Seine-Saint-Denis.

His main writings are : "Le chef d'orchestre art et technique" (L'Harmattan-2005)- "Histoire de la musique finlandaise" (Boréales)- Larousse dictionnary of Music (Nordic music).

In his discography (SFPP - Divine Art - Adès - Muse93)we find works by Dowland, Vivaldi, Aldrovandini, Jacchini, Telemann, Couperin, Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti (17 Sinfonie), Haydn (Stabat Mater, Symphony 44, Concertos), Villa-Lobos, Wiéner, Koechlin, Salmenhaara, Heininen, Koskenkorwa, Martins, etc.

Knight in the Order of the Lion of Finland

LINKS : http://www.solistesdeparis.com and http://www.music-hcf.com

References