Emmanuel Séjourné

Emmanuel Séjourné is a French composer. His music is rhythmic, romantic, energetic, and inspired by both the Western classical tradition and popular culture (jazz, rock, extra-European).

His compositions are performed in dozens of countries every year, and many orchestras include them in their repertoire: Nagoya Philharmonic, Osaka Philharmonic, Sinfonia Toronto, Croatian Radio Television Symphony, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Italienne, Camerata de Bourgogne, Orchestre d’Auvergne, Cannes, Nice, Pau, Bochumer Symphoniker, Württembergisches Kammerorchester, among others.

Acclaimed by the percussion community, his works have been commissioned or recorded by Gary Cook, John Pennington, Ju-Percussion Group, Bob Van Sice, Nancy Zeltsman, Marta Klimasara, Katarzyna Mycka, Amsterdam Percussion Group. His passion for the stage also led him to write and compose the show "Planète Claviers" for Percussions Claviers de Lyon, commissioned by the Grame Festival. This wild and unusual show was performed 120 times between 1998 and 2001.

His Concerto for vibraphone and strings (1999) "is living proof of the amazing expansion of percussion and has all qualities to highlight exceptional performers. The work, profound and elaborate, has great seductive power" (Luxemburger Wort). In 2006 he composed a new Concerto for marimba and strings, commissioned and performed by Bogdan Bacanu with Salzburg Solisten (album "True Colors", Classic Concert Records). Since 2007, this concerto has quickly become a major work in the marimba repertoire.

Séjourné has also composed many chamber and choral works. Fascinated by the relationship between various art forms, he writes music for stage and television. He composed the music for Ballet du Rhin’s performance "Les envahisseurs", played during Strasbourg's 2000th anniversary, and in 2004 wrote the musical "School Boulevard", commissioned by the National Theater Luxembourg.

Séjourné’s work is supported by numerous sponsors, including the cities of Arras and Aurillac, the General Council of Bouches-du-Rhône, the European Institute for Choral Singing, and the Paris Opera. Simultaneously, Emmanuel Séjourné maintains a career as an instrumentalist. Together with saxophonist Philippe Geiss, he founded the ensemble Noco Music, which won the European Audiovisual Grand Prix. As a soloist and with the ensemble Accroche-Note, he has premiered over a hundred pieces, including concertos, chamber music and solos, performing all over the world.

Eager to share his passion, Emmanuel Séjourné is also Head Teacher of the Percussion Department at the Strasbourg Conservatory.

Emmanuel Séjourné plays Adams vibes and marimbas.