French-American Piano Society

in partnership with

SAFRAN Corporate Foundation

present

Laure Cholé, Piano

Léo Ispir, Cello

U.S. Debut Recital

TuESDAY JUNE 20, 2023 at 7:30 PM

Consulate of FrancE

in New York

The French-American Piano Society is a non-profit organization designed to promote cultural exchange, education, and networking between France and the United States through French pianists and music. Founded in 2014 by Dr. Mathieu Petitjean, the French-American Piano Society provides scholarships for aspiring young French pianists to attend competitions and festivals in the United States, presents world-renowned artists in recital, and endeavors to promote the activities of French pianists in America and American pianists dedicated to French piano music.

The Safran Corporate Foundation for Music is dedicated to supporting young talents in the classical music scene in their training or their professional development at the beginning of their career. It devotes most of its support to direct assistance to young talent, which can take a variety of forms (grants, recording projects, etc.). It also supports venues (halls, musical seasons, etc.) where these young musicians are called upon to perform and any initiative that contributes to the professionalization of young musicians.

Coming from a family of musicians, Laure Cholé started playing the piano at the age of 4. At the age of 14, she won first prize in the international competition "Brin d'herbe" d'Orléans, a 20th century music competition, following which she met György Kurtág before whom she performed some of her works at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris. In May 2014, she won the first prize at the Fribourg International Piano Competition. In September 2015, she joined Hugues Leclère's class at the CRR in Paris where she will obtain her TB improvement prize unanimously by the jury.

In 2019, she joined the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris in the classes of Michel Dalberto and Claire-Marie Le Guay. She is currently studying a master's degree at the CNSM in the class of Hortense Cartier Bresson and Fernando Rossano where she obtained her piano license in May 2022 mention very well unanimously by the jury.

Also passionate about chamber music, she also obtained her chamber music license in 2020 in violin piano sonata training with violinist Celio Torina mention very well unanimously by the jury in Itamar Golan's class and works in cello and piano sonata training with cellist Léo Ispir in Louis Rodde's class. They are selected by Jeunes Talents to give concerts in the 2024 season.

In 2023, she became the pianist of the Méliphages ensemble, a variable geometry ensemble specialized in transcriptions of works for orchestra.

Laure gives a series of concerts in the United States with the French American Piano Society and in Spain with the Joventuts Musicals de Catalogne during the 2022-2023 season: Chicago, New York, Washington, Torroella de Montgrí, Capdepera, Mallorca, Menorca, Alaior, Ciutadella, Moià, Palamós and Tarragona.

Artist in residence at La Chapelle Musicale Reine under the tutelage of Gary Hoffman, Léo Ispir embodies the new generation of French cellists. Born in 2002, Léo Ispir started playing the cello at the age of 7 with Isabelle Loubaresse at the CRR in Rouen. At the age of 14, he joined Hélène Dautry's class at the CRR in Paris and will get his DEM mention very well with the congratulations of the jury.

From 2020 to 2023 Léo studied alongside Jérôme Pernoo at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. At the same time, he benefits from the advice of Anne Gastinel at the Jaroussky Academy where he is the winner of the "Debussy Promotion".

He was also able to work with great teachers such as Frans Helmerson, Julian Steckel, François Salque, Pierre Fouchenneret, Stephan Forck, Le Quatuor Ébène in various academies and masterclasses in Europe. He participates in the "Cello Masterclass" at the Kronberg Academy.

Léo Ispir has the opportunity to share the stage and perform in chamber music with artists such as: Le Quatuor Modigliani, Jean François Heisser, François Salque, Raphaël Pidoux as well as soloist under the baton of Pierre Bleuse, Julien Guénebaut.

He is lucky to play in renowned concert halls such as the Kiev Philharmonic, the Salle Gaveau, the Philarmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Élysées.

In addition, he won several prizes in different competitions, such as the 1st prize, the first at the " Tremplin" International Cello Cello Competition, the 1st prize as well as the "Grand Prize" at the Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition, the 1st prize at the International Competition for Young Talents in Normandy in Chamber Music.

Currently Léo Ispir plays on a cello by Francis Kuttner lent by Mrs. Karapetyan with the precious help of the association "Talents et Violon'celles

PROGRAM

Johanes Brahms (1833 – 1897):

Lieder, Op.105 No. 1: Wie Melodien zieht es miR

for piano and cello

A Lieder is a German song that sets poetry to music, performed by a single vocalist and piano.

‘Lieder’ most often refers to the specific musical settings of Romantic poetry; both music and lyrics composed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Romanticism was predominantly concerned with love and feeling, as well as the sublime beauty of nature and man’s place on earth. Lieder sought to express these concepts through music.

Six Pieces for Piano, Op.118

Piano solo

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943)

Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 19 

Champagne Reception

We are grateful to our 2023 patrons and partners:

THE JAMES J. SHEERAN STEINWAY PIANO

At its inaugural recital on January 16th 2018, S.E. Anne Claire Legendre, Consul General of France in New York, in the company of S.E. Bertrand Lortholary, Ambassador of France in Vietam, Former Consul General of France in New York, and S.E. Francois Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United Nation, former Ambassador of France to the USA, and former Consul General of France in New York, dedicated our Steinway concert piano to

JAMES J. SHEERAN

(1923 - 2007)

A GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOT, WWII VETERAN, SON OF FRANCE, AND CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR (2006) OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE

2023-2028 YOUNG PIANISTS SCHOLARSHIPS

A post-COVID expansion of our successful scholarship program to sponsor (2023 to 2028) 10 talented young French pianists to attend U.S. based piano festivals, competitions and present their Debut Recitals in New York City and Washington D.C.

We are deeply thankful to the generous patrons

 who helped us fund our Steinway piano

CREDIT AGRICOLE CIB

NJ CURE

JCDECAUX

ALICE ROSNER FOUNDATION

COLAS, INC

COMMITTEE OF FRENCH SPEAKING SOCIETIES

CONNECTHINGS

CONSEILLERS DU COMMERCE EXTERIEUR DE LA FRANCE

MEDNEST

RATP DEV

VERONIQUE TRAVEL

and

The “88 Keys” Society Members and Patrons:

    Helene Buchen (C1#, D1#, F1&#, G1#, A1&#, F2#, G2#, A2#)

    Gilles Rousseau (G2,A2,B2,C3,D3,E3,F3,G3)

    Veronique and Pascal Carpentier (C6#, D6#, F6#, G6#, A6#)

    Ariane Daguin (B6, A6, G6, C7)

    Anne-Julia Audray (D5, F5, A4)

    Jean-Pierre Bizzari, MD (A5, B5)

    Laurence Chertoff (D2#, D3#)

    Thomas and Albane Duplan (C8, B1)

    Valerie and Gerard Duval (G7#, F7#)

    Lily Hsia (D5#, D7#)

    Susan Mackenzie (E6, C7#)

    Martha and Rick Olson (E4, G4)

    Daniel and Teresa Petitjean (F7, G7)

    Helene and Mathieu Petitjean (A0#,A4#)

    Dr. Ellie Abdi (B0)

    Catherine Munera and Alfredo Basurto (E5)

    Carey and Brett August (C6)

Veronique et Serge Banzet (A5)

    Arnaud Boyer (E7)

    Nigel Brown (G1)

    Florence and Eric Brun (G5)

    Eric and Isabelle Chaboureau (F2)

    Vésine de La Rue (D2)

    Philippe Dreano (G3#)

    Yoni Elmalem (A7#)

    Sylvie Epelbaum,MD (D4#)

    John F. Bennet, Paris-American Club (G4#)

    Bernard Frelat (F6)

    French-American Choir of New York (A4)

    Simone Galton (B3)

    Guy Geslin (D7)

    Anthony Gilroy (A3)

    Robert Gorman (D1)

    Odile Gorse (C1)

    Herve Houdre (C2)

    Laurent Kleitman (C5#)

    Remy Lumbroso (D6)

    Pierre Martin (F3#)

    Andrea Mayes (C5)

    Hanyi Meng (A7)

    Jean-Hugues Monier (E2)

    Mark Morris (A3#)

    Rick and Mary O'Connell (E1)

    Elizabeth Olson (C4)

    Claudine and Bernard Parisot (C4#)

    Joseph Patrych (G5)

    Michel and Judith Pautrat (F4)

    Jean Perrette (B7)

    Dmitry Rachmanov (F4#)

    Jerome Rose (A0)

    Sophie Schyler - Chateau Kirwan  (F5#)

    Guy Sorman (D4)

    Annaliese Soros (C2#)

    Marie-Monique Steckel (B4)

Code of Conduct

It is the policy of the French-American Piano Society that all attendees of Society hosted recitals, events, and associated activities are expected to exhibit respectful, and ethical behaviors.

Please review our Code of Conduct Policy here.

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