The Steve Reich Guitar Project
I like this music. I discovered it late, I admit, thanks to one of my professors at the University of Paris 8, in 2003. Since then, the more I listen to it, the more I dig, the more I am impressed by its richness. In many ways, I do not understand how it could be called “minimalist”: to the contrary, for me, it is more a “maximalist” music. Admittedly, the basic musical material with which he composes, is minimal, but the way in which he handles it, and not to mention the result, consists of a confusing richness, with all these sound layers which are superimposed, slightly shifted, according to immediate or surreptitious phase shifts, suddenly bringing out rhythms, textures…
Video
Discography
Steve Reich
Pierre Bibault, guitar
Release: October 1, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Music, Solo Electric Guitar
Program: Nagoya Guitars, Electric Counterpoint, Electric Guitar Phase, Clapping Music
Music Company: IndéSens Records
Artistic Direction: Pierre Bibault
Photos: Cover: © Catherine Peillon, 2008 | Artist photos: © Manuel Braun, 2021
Length: 43 minutes
Format: CD Digipack + Booklet 12 pages & Streaming Platforms
Listen/buy: li.sten.to/pierrebibault
Olga Neuwirth, "Die Stadt Ohne Juden" movie soundtrack
Ensemble Intercontemporain
Release: 2019
Genre: Contemporary Music with Ensemble, Movie Soundtrack
Music Company: Arte TV Edition
Artistic Direction: Olga Neuwirth
Format: DVD/Blu-ray
Buy: https://www.arte-edition.de/item/8510.html
Les Forces Majeures
Edgar Moreau, cello - Offenbach, Gulda
Release: 2019
Genre: Classical Music with Ensemble
Music Company: Warner Erato
Artistic Direction: Raphaël Merlin
Format: CD
Duo Resonances
Granados, Piazzolla, Scarlatti, Granados, Mompou
Release: 2013
Genre: Classical Guitar Duo
Music Company: Calliope Records
Artistic Direction: Cécile Lenoir
Photos: Jean-Baptiste Millot
Format: CD Digipack + Booklet 12 pages
Length: 64 minutes
Silence of Insanity
The Silent Agony
Release: 2003
Genre: Metal
Music Company: Thundering Records
Artistic Direction: Pierre Bibault
Format: CD Digipack + Booklet 8 pages
Shades of Ancient Memories
Synoptia
Release: 2000
Genre: Metal
Music Company: A Bolt From the Blue Records
Artistic Direction: Synoptia
Format: Crystal box + Booklet 8 pages
Schedule
Season 2023-2024
16 to 20 October 2023
Residence w/ Ensemble Variances and Ensemble Paramirabo
Conducted by Thierry Pécou
“Pulse” by Steve Reich (e.bass. g.)
“Byar” by Thierry Pécou (e.bass. g.)
Montreal (QC)
21-22 October 2023
Solo concert + Masterclass
Program: Tellur – Tristan Murail; Electric Counterpoint – Steve Reich; Calvario – Zad Moultaka
University of Rhode Island Guitar Festival (RI)
23 to 27 October 2023
Concerts w/ Ensemble Variances and Ensemble Paramirabo
Conducted by Thierry Pécou
“Pulse” by Steve Reich (e.bass. g.)
“Byar” by Thierry Pécou (e.bass. g.)
Salle Bourgie, Montreal (QC)
CEM, Chikooutimi (QC)
11 to 15 November 2023
Residence and concert w/ Ensemble Klangforum Wien, Conducted by Bas Wiegers
“Wound” by Rebecca Saunders (e.g.)
Wien Muzikverein, Vienna (AU)
16 to 22 November 2023
Guitar Duo Residence w/ Maarten Stragier
“Salut für Caudwell” by Helmut Lachenmann
16-20 Nov: Rehearsals
21 Nov: Workshop with the composer
22 Nov: Concert
Brussels (BE)
25 to 28 January 2024 (TBC)
NAMM
Los Angeles (CA), USA
April 2024 (TBC)
Solo Concert “Steve Reich | Pierre Bibault, guitar” + Masterclass
Indianapolis (IN), USA
June 2024 (TBC)
Residence + concert w/ Ensemble Variances
Caen (FR)
4 to 7 July 2023
Artistic Director, 5th International Guitar Festival in Bearn – FIGB
Details TBA
Lahontan (FR)
Click here for more info
About
Pierre Bibault is a multifaceted classical and electric guitarist, performer and artistic researcher. A classical trained musician both as a Soloist and in Chamber Music, he is specialized in Contemporary Classical Music.
He has performed in more than 25 countries, and in many prestigious venues: Radio France, Paris Philharmonie, Los Angeles Walt Disney Hall, Wien Musikverein, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, London Wigmore Hall, Munich Prinzregententheater, Brussels Flagey, Montreal Salle Bourgie, Gent De Bijloke, among others.
As a soloist, his performances introduce the audience to a unique sound universe, where instruments meet new technologies, offering a wide variety of repertoire: from written music to improvisations, with the use of electronics installations, real-time sound transformations, samplers, loopers and computers.
In 2021 Pierre Bibault released the first recording of the complete works for electric guitar by American minimalist composer Steve Reich (1936-) — who himself validated the program of the disc. Acclaimed by the radio and press media, the album was also selected by the Official Steve Reich Social Media Accounts in the playlist “Essential Steve Reich”. The disc has now reached more than 200.000 play on the streaming platforms.
In November 2023, Pierre Bibault has been invited by the Klangforum Wien to perform the piece “Wound” by Rebecca Saunders, for 12 soloists and orchestra. Austrian Premiere, the performance took place at the Wien Muzikverein.
Between 2018 and 2023, Pierre Bibault was regularly invited by the Paris based Ensemble Intercontemporain, to perform classical and electric guitars, directed and conducted by Matthias Pintscher.
This collaboration led him to work with major composers : Olga Neuwirth, Rebecca Saunders, James Dillon, Helmut Lachenmann, among others; and to explore a wide repertoire ranging from psychedelic rock written by Frank Zappa, to music for the film Die Start ohne Juden by Olga Neuwirth published and broadcasted on French-German TV Arte, and performed multiple times worldwide. In 2019, the Ensemble invited him as a soloist to perform the French premiere of the classical guitar concerto “Ode an Eine Äolsharfe” by Hans Werner Henze. The concert took place at the Cité de la Musique, Philharmonie de Paris, conducted by Brad Lubman.
Since 2017, Pierre Bibault is also a member of Thierry Pécou’s Ensemble Variances. In addition to playing on prestigious stages, the Ensemble is the bearer of a voice on contemporary questions, particularly on sustainability. In 2021, the Ensemble has released the recording “Humain non Humain” including works by François-Bernard Mâche, Thierry Pécou and Jeffrey Holmes.
Pierre Bibault has also performed classical and electric guitars for the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France, (works by George Benjamin, Fausto Romitelli, Gustav Mahler) conducted by Kent Nagano, Maxime Pascal, and Matthias Pintscher.
Pierre Bibault is a PH.D. — Doctor of Arts, Performance — and the author of the thesis Gesture and a Gesture Extraction Process in Zad Moultaka’s Music for Solo Guitar.s: a Performer’s Perspective, VUB / KCB, 2021, 415 p.
He also holds three Masters degrees in Performance, Musicology and Pedagogy. Judicaël Perroy and Carlo Marchione have been the teachers who had the most influence on his training.
Since its creation in 2016, Pierre Bibault is the Artistic Director of the Festival International de Guitare en Béarn.
Currently based in Boston, MA, where he devotes himself to his artistic career, Pierre Bibault is a former Professor of the Paris Conservatories, and a former Teacher-Researcher of the Brussels Royal Conservatory (KCB). He is regularly invited to give Masterclasses and Conferences worldwide.
Pierre Bibault est un guitariste classique et électrique aux multiples facettes, interprète et chercheur. Musicien de formation classique, soliste et chambriste, il est spécialisé dans la musique contemporaine.
Il s’est produit dans plus de 25 pays, et dans de nombreuses salles prestigieuses : Radio France, Philharmonie de Paris, Walt Disney Hall à Los Angeles, Musikverein de Vienne, Elbphilharmonie de Hambourg, Wigmore Hall de Londres, Prinzregententheater de Munich, Flagey à Bruxelles, Salle Bourgie à Montréal, De Bijloke à Gand, parmi d’autres.
En soliste, ses performances font découvrir au public un univers sonore unique, où les instruments rencontrent les nouvelles technologies, offrant une grande variété de répertoire : de la musique écrite aux improvisations, en passant par l’utilisation d’installations électroniques, de transformations sonores en temps réel, d’échantillonneurs, de loopers. et d’ordinateurs.
En 2021, Pierre Bibault a sorti le premier enregistrement de l’intégrale des œuvres pour guitare électrique du compositeur minimaliste américain Steve Reich (1936-) — qui valide lui-même le programme du disque. Salué par la radio et la presse, l’album a également été sélectionné par les comptes officiels des réseaux sociaux de Steve Reich dans la playlist « Essential Steve Reich ». Le disque a désormais atteint plus de 200 000 lectures sur les plateformes de streaming.
En novembre 2023, Pierre Bibault a été invité par le Klangforum Wien pour interpréter la pièce « Wound » de Rebecca Saunders, pour 12 solistes et orchestre. Création autrichienne, la représentation a eu lieu au Wien Muzikverein.
Entre 2018 et 2023, Pierre Bibault a été régulièrement invité par l’Ensemble Intercontemporain basé à Paris, pour interpréter des œuvres pour guitares classiques et électriques, sous la direction de Matthias Pintscher.
Cette collaboration l’a amené à travailler avec des compositeurs majeurs : Olga Neuwirth, Rebecca Saunders, James Dillon, Helmut Lachenmann, parmi d’autres ; et d’explorer un large répertoire allant du rock psychédélique écrit par Frank Zappa, à la musique du film Die Start ohne Juden d’Olga Neuwirth publié et diffusé sur la télévision franco-allemande Arte, et joué à plusieurs reprises à l’international. En 2019, l’Ensemble l’a invité comme soliste pour faire la création française du concerto pour guitare classique « Ode an Eine Äolsharfe » de Hans Werner Henze. Le concert a eu lieu à la Cité de la Musique, Philharmonie de Paris, sous la direction de Brad Lubman.
Depuis 2017, Pierre Bibault est également membre de l’Ensemble Variances de Thierry Pécou. En plus de jouer sur des scènes prestigieuses, l’Ensemble se veut le porte-parole de questions contemporaines, notamment sur le développement durable. En 2021, l’Ensemble a sorti l’enregistrement « Humain non Humain » comprenant des œuvres de François-Bernard Mâche, Thierry Pécou et Jeffrey Holmes.
Pierre Bibault a également joué les guitares classiques et électriques pour l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (œuvres de George Benjamin, Fausto Romitelli, Gustav Mahler) sous les directions de Kent Nagano, Maxime Pascal et Matthias Pintscher.
Pierre Bibault est titulaire d’un Ph.D. — Docteur ès Arts, Performance — et auteur de la thèse Gesture and a Gesture Extraction Process in Zad Moultaka’s Music for Solo Guitar.s: a Performer’s Perspective, VUB/KCB, 2021, 415 p.
Il est également titulaire de trois Masters en Performance, Musicologie et Pédagogie. Judicaël Perroy et Carlo Marchione ont été les professeurs qui ont le plus marqué sa formation.
Depuis sa création en 2016, Pierre Bibault est le Directeur Artistique du Festival International de Guitare en Béarn.
Actuellement basé à Boston, États-Unis, où il se consacre à sa carrière artistique, Pierre Bibault a été Professeur aux Conservatoires de Paris, et Enseignant-Chercheur au Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles (KCB). Il est régulièrement invité à donner des Masterclasses et des conférences dans le monde entier.
Electric Guitar: (e.g.) | Classical Guitar: (c.g.)
BERIO Luciano
Sequenza XI
per chitarra sola (c.g.)
D’ANGELO Nuccio
Due Canzoni Lidie (c.g.)
DUFOURT Hugues
La Cité des Saules, for electric guitar and sound transformation (e.g.)
HENZE Hanz Werner
Drei Tentos (c.g.)
HOLMES Jeffrey
Jörmunr (c.g.)
dedicated to Pierre Bibault
MOULTAKA Zad
– Calvario, for guitar and electronics (c.g.)
– Kahraba, for electric guitar and electroacoustics (e.g.), commissioned by Pierre Bibault and Onoma
– Ordo ab chao, for guitar and electronics (c.g.), dedicated to Pierre Bibault
MURAIL Tristan
– Tellur (c.g.)
– Vampyr! (e.g.)
OHANA Maurice
Tiento (c.g.)
PECOU Thierry
– Flux, Eclats, Orient (c.g.)
– Passacaille (c.g.), dedicated to Pierre Bibault
REICH Steve
– Electric Counterpoint (e.g. + tape)
– Electric Guitar Phase (e.g. + tape)
– Nagoya Guitars (e.g. + tape)
– Clapping Music
ROMITELLI Fausto
– Solare (c.g.)
– Trash TV Trance, for electric guitar, effects and sampler (e.g.)
ANDRIESSEN Louis
Life (e.g.)
BENJAMIN Georges
Sometimes Voices (banjo)
BRANCA Glenn
Symphony n°16 “Orgasm”, for 100 electric guitars (e.g.)
CHOI Yeni
On the boat (c.g.)
DAZZI Gualtiero
Madrigali (e.g.)
DILLON James
Tanz / Haus Triptych (e.g.)
GLASS Philip
Façades (e.g.)
Music in Similar Motion (e.g.)
HENZE Hans Werner
Ode An Eine Äolsharfe (concerto), music for concertante Guitar (c.g.) and 15 solo instruments (French Premiere with Ensemble Intercontemporain, December 2019)
NEUWIRTH Olga
Eleanor (concerto), for Blues Singer, Drum-kit, Electric Guitar and Ensemble (e.g.)
HOLMES Jeffrey
Kaun (Kenaz) (c.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Variances)
KORDA Josephine
Mycelium (c.g.)
LACHENMANN Helmut
Concertini (c.g.)
LEWIS Andrew
Canzon in Double Echo (e.g.)
MÂCHE François-Bernard
Vigiles (c.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Variances)
MARINISSEN Arnold
Métisse (e.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Variances)
MERCANTI Gabriele
Clepsamia (c.g.)
MONDON Nicolas
Daily Colotomy (c.g.)
MORGAN-WILLIAMS Bethan
Devil’s Elbow (e.g.)
MOULTAKA Zad
Anath (c.g.)
NEUWIRTH Olga
– Die Stadt Ohne Juden (e.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Intercontemporain)
– Eleanor (e.g.)
– Hommage à Klaus Nomi (e.g.)
– Le Encantadas (e.g.)
– The Outcast (e.g.) (French Premiere with Ensemble Intercontemporain)
PECOU Thierry
– Méditation sur la fin de l’espèce (e.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Variances)
– Until the Lions (e.g.)
RIHM Wolfgang
Jagden und Formen (c.g + e.bass)
ROMITELLI Fausto
– Professor Bad Trip, Lesson I (e.g.)
– Professor Bad Trip, Lesson III (e.g.)
– Audiodrome, Dead City Radio (e.g.)
SAUNDERS Rebecca
– Scar (premiere with EIC, 2019) (e.g.)
– Wound (premier with EIC, 2022) (e.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Intercontemporain)
STOCKHAUSEN Karlheinz
– Aus den sieben Tagen (e.g.)
– Tierkreis (e.g.)
ZAPPA Frank
– Get Whitey (c.g.)
– G-Spot Tornado (e.g.)
– The Dog Breath Variations (banjo)
Chamber Music
BOWMAN Max
Sonata, for classical guitar (c.g.) and cello
CAGE John
Story (Once upon a time)
CRUMB Georges
Mundus Canis, for (c.g.) and percussions
GINASTERA Alberto
Suite de Danzas Criollas, Op. 15
HOLMES Jeffrey
Danzleikr Sonata, dedicated to Duo Resonances
LACHENMANN Helmut
Salut für Caudwell for two guitarists (c.g.)
MÂCHE François-Bernard
Vigiles (c.g.) (World Premiere with Ensemble Variances)
MARINISSEN Arnold
– Mestre Claudinei, for (c.g.) and cello
MENDOZA Elena
Lo que nunca dijo nadie, for (c.g.) and violin (c.g.)
PIERRE-PETIT
Toccata
STOCKHAUSEN Karlheinz
– Aus den sieben Tagen (e.g.)
– Tierkreis (e.g.)
TAKEMITSU Toru
Toward the sea, for classical guitar and flute (c.g.)