Until then, the high school student enjoyed the grand organ of the Saint-Brieuc cathedral, of which he was already a member, and those of the Rennes churches, where he practiced. The following year, Vincent joined the National Conservatory of Music in Paris. The young virtuoso comes out with five first prizes, awarded unanimously. In 2002, he became the first Frenchman to win the international organ competition in Calgary, Canada. In the process, Vincent won the equally renowned one in Toulouse.
From then on, a concert career opened up to him: Europe, United States, Asia. The prodigy finds himself invited to the biggest festivals in the world, performs in legendary places and collaborates with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and the Orchester philharmonique de Radio-France, to name but a few. than them.
Director of the Strasbourg Conservatory
Master classes here, audio recordings there, a position as artist-professor in residence at the University of Michigan, across the Atlantic. Enough to satisfy Vincent Dubois' organ appetite? Not really. Between 2008 and 2022, the Breton director of the conservatories of Reims, then Strasbourg. A really intense schedule, disrupted by this irreversible phone call on January 20, 2016.
At the other end of the line, the commissioner in charge of this “monstrous” competition which only takes place once every 30 years, tells him the exquisite news: Vincent has been chosen to succeed Jean-Pierre Leguay, one of the members of Notre-Dame de Paris, retired. The dream of his life. The absolute holy grail. At only 35 years old. “That meant that I would, from now on, have permanent access to this organ, considered to be the first tribune in the world,” he still relishes today.
A dream that almost turned into a nightmare, on April 15, 2019. At the end of the afternoon, Vincent received a call from Johann Vexo, who had just finished accompanying the evening service, at the choir organ. His voice exudes fear. The cathedral is on fire. Vincent, distraught, spends part of the night watching continuous news channels. The firefighters watered the South Rose extensively. The Cavaillé-Coll rests just behind. The worst is to be feared.
A harmony that remains intact
At 6 a.m., relief came from a message from the sexton. The great organ is intact. “It’s miraculous,” says Vincent. During the five years of reconstruction of Notre-Dame, he and his organist accomplices shared the liturgy at the church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, near the Louvre. Their jewel, for its part, underwent a “major dusting” by the organ builder, Bertrand Cattiaux. On November 17, Vincent was able to play it again for six hours straight. Verdict? “The harmony is the same. Nothing has changed,” he praises.
During the inauguration weekend, December 7 and 8, the three co-owners will take turns at the console. The organ opening and awakening ceremony will be held Saturday evening. There is no doubt that the Breton will be keen to interpret Vierne, Dupré or Franck, these 19th century composers of whom he adores. From the gallery, up there, among the reeds.
