Premiere of music inspired by the work of Yves Bonnefoy

French composer Thierry Machuel’s latest work, composed especially for this recital in Birmingham, will be premiered in the Dome Room in the beautiful Bramall Music Building on July 11.

The performance will begin with a song performed by a mezzo-soprano, and musicians Jean-Luc Tamby and Emilie Yaouanq will then offer improvisations on it. The recital will be accompanied by a recording of the poet and a ‘conversation’ in French, during which Thierry Machuel will discuss the inspiration for his work. The event will appeal to those interested in contemporary song and improvisation, French poetry and the inspiration provided to composers by literature.

Thierry Machuel is a French composer and pianist who specialises in choral works and is particularly inspired by contemporary writing in various languages. He has won numerous prizes and his works are currently on the syllabus for the French baccalaureate examinations. Machuel has been working for some years on music responding to the well-known contemporary poet Yves Bonnefoy.

Jean-Luc Tamby plays the lute and the guitar and teaches at the conservatoires of Dieppe and Rouen. His PhD thesis is on music in the work of poet Edouard Glissant.

Emilie Yaouanq is a harpist and the author of a PhD thesis on Symbolism.

Tickets for this event are free. Registration for this event is essential.

The recital is organised in conjunction with a research workshop to be held on the same day on the relationship between poetry, music and performance in contemporary French culture (see frenchpoetryand.wordpress.com), part of an AHRC-funded network on contemporary French poetry. Members of the public are very welcome at both events, and there is no charge.