By his originality, his enthusiasm and commitment, Franck Masquelier has been for many years one of the most invested and original classical artists.
After more than 1,000 concerts and 15 CD's, new projects in perspective ...
Franck Masquelier devotes a large part of his activity today to the development of his own artistic projects, sharing his vitality, notably in the Paris Aria Quintet, the Trio Panama, the Furioso Trio, and the Ensemble Laborintus, ensembles of which he is a founding member. He has also appeared in duet with organists Claude Nadeau (Quebec), Pierre Cambourian (Fr) and Monica Melcova (Slovakia) as well as harpists Hélène Breschand, Delphine Benhamou, Iole Cerri (Italy) and Céline Mata.
He also performed more punctually in chamber music with the following artists: Vadim Tchijik, Jane Peters, Bathyle Goldstein, Stephane Rulliere (violins), Pierre-Henri Xuereb, Frédéric Carriere (viola), Henri Demarquette, Xavier Philips Fabrice Loyal (cello), Patrick Messina (clarinet), Marielle Nordmann (harp) and Daniela Mizzi and Véronique Rota (piano).
He is the artistic director of the Festival "Musiques en Vercors" (Isère) and the Musical Summer Academy of Villard-de-Lans, which he created in 1991.
He owes this intense creativity, of course to his talent, his charisma, his dynamic and generous personality, but also to his innate sense of communication.
Born in Paris, he received a Gold Medal with Flute Unanimity and a Prix d'Excellence at the National Conservatory of Rueil-Malmaison. He also received a Prix de Perfectionnement at the National Conservatory of Saint-Maur, then entered the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, where he was awarded the Higher Diploma (First Flute and Chamber Music Awards). Then he perfected himself at the Musik Hochschüle in Freiburg (Germany) with english flutist William Bennet.
He is also laureate of the 2nd Prize at the International Chamber Music Competition of Illzach (France), 1st ex-tied at the International Competition of Martigny (Switzerland) and laureate of the Foundations Georges Cziffra and Yehudi Menuhin.
He then participated in numerous orchestral concerts, Belgian National Orchestra, European Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, Orchester Pasdeloup, Orchester Symphonique Lyrique Avignon-Provence, Orchester Metropolitana de Lisboa, International Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchester Symphonique du Mans, Ensemble Ars Nova, among others ..., under the baton of prestigious chefs (Sylvain Cambreling, Jean-Marc Cochereau, Gerard Devos, Thierry Fischer, Dominique Fanal, Patrick Fournillier, José-Andre Gendille, Amine Kouider, Paul Kuentz, Emmanuel Krivine, Jacques Mercier, Philippe Nahon, Pierre Rouiller, Ulysse Waterloot ...).
He has performed with various ensembles, in major festivals, as well as in prestigious venues (Gaveau, Chopin-Pleyel, La Cité de la Musique), as well as in more original places (galleries, castles, natural sites ) or devoted to improvised music ...
He has also toured abroad (Germany, Argentina, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Yugoslavia).
His eclecticism led him, as soloist or with Ensemble Laborintus, to inspire many composers he was able to create and record. His discography is rich of fifteen recordings with his ensembles. Critics and the specialized press welcomed his recordings with undisguised enthusiasm and echoed the most admiring praises. The record devoted to the works of François Rossé obtained 9/10 in Repertoire and 4 Diapasons. He has also made recordings for France Musique, Radio Suisse Romande, and RTBF.
Endowed with a jovial and enthusiastic nature, he does not hesitate to multiply the most diverse musical experiences. This does not prevent him from showing as much seriousness as imagination in the development of his programs.
For many years, Franck Masquelier has also developed the activities of arranger (first for the Quintette Aria, for twenty-five years ...), then composer. His catalog already has more than forty works for very diverse formations, as well as more than three hundred and fifty arrangements or orchestrations. Several dozens are now published (Ed Robert Martin, Ed Da Camera, Ed Sempre Piu and Alfonce Productions, ...)
At the same time, training with renowned conductors such as Ton Koopman, Vincent Barthe, Pascal Rophé, Pierre Rouiller and Laurent Goossaert, he developed orchestra activities.
Since January 2018, Franck Masquelier is also President of Traversières, French Flute Association; who publishes a magazine, organizes events including the International Flute Convention in Paris, every 4 years.
In his career as in his performances, Franck Masquelier remains true to his personality ... which is not the least of his qualities.
BS Artist Management