Renaud Garcia-Fons (born December 24, 1962) is a highly accomplished French upright-bass player and composer.
Garcia-Fons started his musical studies at an early age. At five years old he picked up playing the piano, switched to classical guitar at eight, then turned to rock in his teens, and finally settling for the upright bass when he was 16. He got formal musical training at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he studied with François Rabbath, who taught him his special technique of playing arco.
Garcia-Fons is known for his melodic sense and his viola-like col arco sound; he is sometimes referred to as "the Paganini of double bass." Garcia-Fons has been deeply influenced by his mentor, the bassist François Rabbath.
He started playing jazz with the band of trumpeter Roger Guérin, and thereafter had many collaborators, including symphony orchestras, jazz groups, and a trio. In 1987-93, he was part of the French all-double bass ensemble 'L'Orchestre de Contrebasses'. He remained with them for six years, also appearing with the 'Orchestre National de Jazz' directed by Claude Barthélémy during some of this time. Enja Records released his debut solo album Légendes (1992). Alboreá (1995) was his next album release, featuring his quartet including Jean-Louis Matinier (accordion), Jacques Mahieux (drums), and Yves Torchinsky (bass).
His third album, 1998's "Oriental Bass," featured his own compositions and was well received in the press. Next he combined with accordionist Jean-Louis Matinier on the album Fuera (1999). On many occasions he is accompanied by a variety of instruments, including guitar, lute, derbouka, flutes, trombone, and accordion. Garcia-Fons has collaborated with jazz musicians like Jean-Louis Matinier, Michael Riessler, Sylvain Luc, Nguyên Lê, and Michel Godard, and contributed to recordings of Gerardo Núñez and to Middle Eastern players such as Kudsi Erguner, Dhafer Youssef, and Cheb Mami.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaud_Garcia-Fons
Following advanced studies of the guitar,
Claire Antonini takes up the lute and early music with Antoine Geoffroy Dechaume. Then, at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique at Lyons, she is taught by Eugène Ferré, Gérard Geay, Robert Crawford Young... In 1992, she is awarded, unanimously by the jury, the Diplôme National d'Etudes Supérieurs de Musique. The same year she earns the Certificat d'Aptitude for the teaching of early music.
On the other hand, since 1979 she has studied traditional Persian music with Dariush Talaï and has obtained in 1989 the Diplôme d'Etat of a teacher of traditional music.
She gives regular recitals in France and abroad, particularly at the Museum of the Cité de la Musique, the Centre for Arab and Mediterranean music in Tunis, the Festival of L'Ile de France and contributes greatly to the dissemination of lute music, in particular the French Lute School of the
XVII century. She also plays continuo with various baroque ensembles such as: "La Grande Ecurie et la Chambre du Roy", "Le Concert Spirituel", "A deux violes esgales" and regularly accompanies the counter tenor Philippe Jaroussky.
In addition, she has continued to teach for a number of years and at the moment she directs the early music department at the Conservatioire de Chelles, where she is particularly interested in developing the study of the lute with children and young pupils.
http://www.claireantonini.com/?Biographie
