French composer and radio producer born in 1974 in Caen.
Laurent Lefrançois studied the double bass and the electric bass before entering a piano class at the École Nationale de Musique in Lisieux. In parallel to studying musicology he followed the analysis class of Anthony Girard at the Rouen Conservatory. He then studied harmony and counterpoint with Stéphane Delplace as well as orchestration and composition with Guillaume Connesson. He gained a composition diploma in the class of Michel Merlet at the École Normale de Musique in Paris.
Marked by an attachment to the heritage of the past, Laurent Lefrançois brings together various worlds. He has assimilated previous languages, reinventing them through the prism of his individual expression. Centred on rhythm, melody and the alchemy of tone-colours, his music reveals a spirit that is by turns lyrical, virtuoso and playful. Lefrançois composes for all instrumental groupings. He particularly loves to play with the sonorities of the woodwind and above all of the clarinet, as can be seen in his catalogue. His works include Sextuor mixte for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano, commissioned by the festival Présences, first performed by the Ensemble Alternance at Radio France (2003); Les Visages for piano, first performed by Cyril Guillotin at the Festival de Radio France in Montpellier (2007); Erinnerung for string sextet, commissioned by the ProQuartet-CEMC, first performed by the Modigliani Quartet, Lise Berthaud and Philippe Noharet at the Invalides in Paris (2007); Padouk Phantasticus for clarinet and marimba, first performed by Ria Ideta and Paul Meyer at the Château de l’Emperi in Salon-de-Provence (2009); Transatlantique for orchestra, commissioned by the Orchestre du Conservatoire de Douai, first performed by the Sinfonietta conducted by Frédéric Lodéon at he Auditorium Henri Dutilleux in Douai (2014); Concerto for clarinet, commissioned by Musique Nouvelle en Liberté, premiered by Paul Meyer and the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Rouen conducted by Oswald Sallaberger (2016); Sample BUX 149 for clarinet and accordion, first performed by Paul Meyer and Pascal Contet in Cahors (2017).
Also a radio director for Radio France, Laurent Lefrançois has produced several episodes of the programme ‘Été classique après-midi’ on France Musique.