Pianist Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua, who looks after our ‘conversations’ around the piano of La Belle Juliette has chosen to bring together tradition and modernity with an original recital dedicated to Liszt and his transcriptions of not only Berlioz and Wagner, but also Mendelssohn, Chopin, Gershwin and Martial Solal.

In the beautiful red and gold setting of the Gymnase Theatre, known for hosting one man shows, EFNK lets his eclectic tastes go wild be celebrating the audacity and imagination of two centuries of pian pieces, from the the romantics right down to jazz improvisers.

PROGRAM

Mendelssohn : Rondo capriccioso
Liszt/ Berlioz : A Ball and Dreams of a Witches’ Sabbath, excerpts from Hector Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique adapted for the piano by Liszt
Liszt : Rêve d’amour
Chopin : Scherzo n°2
Gershwin : Three Préludes
Martial Solal : Trois Studies
Solal / Wetzel : Exercice de concert (création)
Liszt/ Wagner : Overture from TannhäuserThe recital by Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua is at the Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell (here) on 5th December 2011 at 8.30pm

Seats from 15 to 45 euros

Bookings: 01 42 46 79 79 or www.theatredugymnase.com

Offical Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua site: www.efnk-piano.com

Youtube channel here

Pianiste Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua, en charge des ‘conversations’ autour du piano de La Belle Juliette a choisi d’allier tradition et modernité avec un récital original consacré à Liszt et à ses transcriptions d’après Berlioz et Wagner, mais aussi à Mendelssohn, Chopin, Gershwin et Martial Solal.Dans l’écrin rouge et or du théâtre du Gymnase, connu pour accueillir des one man shows, EFNK donnera libre cours à sa fantaisie éclectique, en célébrant l’audace et l’imagination à travers deux siècles de piano, des romantiques aux improvisateurs du jazz.

PROGRAMME

Mendelssohn : Rondo capriccioso
Liszt/ Berlioz : Un Bal et Songe d’une Nuit de Sabbat extraits de la Symphonie fantastique d’Hector Berlioz transcrite pour le piano par Liszt
Liszt : Rêve d’amour
Chopin : Scherzo n°2
Gershwin : Trois Préludes
Martial Solal : Trois Etudes
Solal / Wetzel : Exercice de concert (création )
Liszt/ Wagner : Ouverture de Tannhäuser

Le récital d’Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua a lieu au Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell (ici) le 5 décembre 2011 à 20h30

Places de 15 à 45 euros

Réservation : 01 42 46 79 79 ou www.theatredugymnase.com

Site officiel d’Eric Ferrand-N’Kaoua : www.efnk-piano.com

Chaîne Youtube ici

An exhibition about a painter at la Cité de la Musique, the centre for all things musical? Couldn’t be more suited…German painter Paul Klee is most definitely the most well known for his paintings, but we often forget that he was also a violinist of the highest level, with a strong link between his music and his paintings.

This large exhibition takes a chronological look at how his two passions interacted over the years, elevating Klee to be status of one the early 20th century’s greatest artists.Apart from over 100 paintings on show, the exhibition also has a kids workshop, debates, concerts, an intinerant concert winding its way through the exhibition on Sunday 11th December and a catalogue from publishers Actes Sud (208 pages, 42.75€ on amazon.fr here).The Paul Klee Polyphonies exhibition is at the Cité de la Musique (here) from 18th October 2011 – 15th January 2012

Open Tuesday – Saturday from midday – 6pm and Sundays from 10am – 6pm. Alos opening on the evenings with concerts (certain nights between 19th and 29th October) until 8pm. Closed Xmas day and 1st January

Admission: 8€ / 5€

Official site: www.cite-musique.fr

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/citedelamusiqueparis

Twitter: www.twitter.com/citedelamusique

Those of you with good French can get a lot more info from the official press release below. Click the first button bottom right to go into fullscreen mode. Or simply click here.

Another lovely concert at La Belle Juliette, and you can book your seats online! Just click any image, or use the link at the bottom of this article.

Seats cost 25€, and we’ll be delighted to offer you a glass of champagne at the end of the concert.

Alcohol is dangerous for your health. Drink moderately

You may not have heard of this three days festival that takes place outdoors in a suburb close to Paris. It’s organised by far left newspaper l’Humanité, and although many of the groups are only familiar to the French, perhaps you’ll be tempted to go and see Joan Baez or The Ting Tings? Plus, there’s a lot more on than music…Rock fans will be pleased, but also jazz and folk fans. Perhaps this is your chance to discover the melifluous wonders of Yannick Noah, Sum 41, Bernard Lavilliers, Gaëtan Roussel, Patrice, Nolwenn Leroy, Soprano, The Radio France Percussioninsts, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Souad Massi, No one is innocent, Cyril Mokaiesh, HK et les Saltimbanks…But the Fête de l’Huma (as it is known as) has a lot more in store:

- a world village to familiarise yourself with the plight/state of other countried
- a book village where you can meet authors
- debates
- a cinema
- a funfair
- theatre
- restaurants
- exhibitions
- sport…

600,000 people are expected to attend, and it’s dirt cheap: 25€ for the three days! You can buy your ticket onlune here.

All the French people in this film are telling you how totally wicked it is…

La Fête de l’Humanité is in the Parc départemental de la Corneuve (here) from 16th – 18th September 2011

Official site (in French): www.humanite.fr/fete_huma

Facebook page (empty, it seems): here

Forget your chillout compilations, your Dire Straits and your Michael Bubbly or whatever he’s called… It’s time for TECHNO! Ebeneezer Goode!

Photo by Mister_Jack used under cc licence

Together with Gay Pride, this is the biggest street event on the Paris calendar. Hundreds of thousands of youngsters (and no to youngsters) will be dancing through the city to promote the cause of electronic music in France.

Paris hasn’t got a brilliant reputation for partying; there are few places here where you can make noise without bothering the neighbours, and the law obliging people to smoke outside a club rather than inside has done nothing to calm relations with people living near clubs and bars with music.

Photo by Mister_Jack used under cc licence

This year, the Techno Parade starts at République, goes to Bastille and finished at Place d’Italie. Tunisia is the guest of honour, giving the theme of Indépen’danse extra resonance. The event is dedicated to Henri Maurel who founded the Techno Parade and owned the main techno radio station. He passed away last February.Be aware that getting around Paris by car or bus will be difficult on 17th Septembre; the event is absolutely huge and a lot of people are expected.

The official site for the 2011 Techno Parade isn’t quite ready yet, but there is a little additional info (in French) to be had on the sit eof the organisers, Technopol – www.technopol.net/techno-paradeOfficial site: www.technoparade.fr

Photo by Alain Bachellier used under cc licence

Photo by Alain Bachellier used under cc licence

Photo by Mister_Jack used under cc licence