Until Sunday, July 7, 2024, the City of Sens hosts the 5th edition of the Les Sensationnelles music festival. This year, this classical music cultural event offers an orchestral concert and three chamber music concerts.
Victor Julien-Laferrière, cellist and conductor, is at the origin of the Les Sensationnelles festival supported by the Sens artiste association (directed by Thierry Ducard). The instrumentalist began playing hat in the village church of Nailly when he was younger, then won first prize in the prestigious Queen Elisabeth of Belgium competition in 2017. The music lover has always dreamed of organizing an event centered on classical music.
“I always had in a little corner of my mind the idea of doing something sustainable […]maybe a festival one day.”
Victor Julien-Laferrière, at Yonne Républicaine
in September 2019 (empty)
He is now the artistic director of the Sensationnelles and participates as a musician and conductor. This year, the thirty-year-old will give two performances: the first on Tuesday, July 2, at 8 p.m., at the municipal theater; the second on Thursday, July 4, at the same time, at the Saint-Savinien basilica.
“Making classical music accessible to all”
Ten solo and chamber music artists, as well as forty artists making up the Consuelo orchestra will be present at the festival. In total, four concerts spread over the week will be presented by several solo artists. Piano, oboe, English horn, cello and many others will sing to the ears of visitors tunes by Beethoven, Mozart or Brahms.
Sunday June 30, an oboe trio, composed of Gabriel Pidoux, Capucine Prin and Nikhil Sharma, will perform a large repertoire of works written for this type of training. Two days later, Tuesday June 2, several pieces by Mendelssohn, Brahms and Kodaly will be played by Victor Julien-Laferrière on cello and Jonathan Fournel on piano.
The program of the Vézelay Musical Meetings unveiled
Thursday July 4, violin, piano and cello, played by Pierre and Théo Fouchenneret and Victor Julien-Laferrière, will coordinate on a vast range of works by Schumann. The Les Sensationnelles festival will end in style on Sunday July 7 with a harmony between solo violinist Liya Petrova and the Consuelo orchestra conducted by Victor Julien-Laferrière. This musical week will be punctuated by numerous dress rehearsals open to the public.
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Rehearsals open to schoolchildren from Senon
“The mayor of Sens, Paul-Antoine de Carville, was very impressed by the project,” emphasizes Claire de Varine, mother of Victor Julien-Laferrière and manager of the festival organization. “The elected official from Sens provides significant financial support to the event, which also carries out a number of activities for children and disabled audiences.” Thus, some rehearsals will be open to schoolchildren.
Wednesday July 3, Victor Julien-Laferrière will also present a cello recital at the Vermiglio nursing home in Sens at 11 a.m. In order to carry out this type of intervention and make the festival work, around twenty volunteers carry out “an enormous amount of work” on the site.
“Over the years, the festival has grown. Today, we have the possibility of paying artists better than in 2019.” These significant developments in the event allow musicians and volunteers to take a step forward in the objective of “making classical music accessible to all”.
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The program of festivities
June 30th.Gabriel Pidoux and Capucine Prin (oboe), accompanied by Nikhil Sharma (English horn), will perform an original repertoire designed for the combination of these instruments. Works by Beethoven, Britten, Wagner, Triebensee and Mozart will be performed.
From 5 to 7 p.m., at the Saint-Savinien basilica in Sens.
July 2nd.A cello and piano recital will be presented respectively by Victor Julien-Laferrière and Jonathan Fournel. On today’s program: “Sonata for cello and piano No. 1 in B flat major opus 45” by Mendelssohn; “Sonata for cello and piano No. 2 in F major opus 99” by Brahms; “Sonata for cello and piano opus 4” by Kodaly.
From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Sens municipal theater.
4th July.The brothers Pierre (violin) and Théo Fouchenneret (piano) and Victor Julien-Laferrière (cello) will perform Schumann’s three trios, a masterpiece of the romantic repertoire.
At 8 p.m., at the Saint-Savinien basilica in Sens.
July 7.The closing concert of the fifth edition of the Sensationnelles will be given by the Consuelo Orchestra and Liya Petrova (violin). On the menu for the evening: “Violin Concerto Opus 61” by Beethoven; “Symphony No. 8 Opus 93” by Beethoven.
From 5 to 7 p.m., at the Sens municipal theater.
Les Sensationnelles Festival until Sunday July 7. Prices: €15, €10 (reduced) and free (under 16s). Pass: €60 for all concerts. Reservations strongly recommended at 06.18.10.32.98 or via HelloAsso. Possibility of purchasing tickets on site (subject to availability) on the day of the concert. Arrive 45 minutes before start. Free placement.
Gabriel Tardieux and Isaac Betsch
