Paris's Alfred Cortot School of Music Appoints Gérard Caussé to Viola Faculty

Caussé is a founding member of Ensemble Intercontemporain

The École Normale de Musique de Paris has announced that the violist and contemporary-music specialist Gérard Caussé has been appointed to its teaching faculty. He joins fellow viola teachers Pierre Lenert and Bruno Pasquiert.

Caussé regularly performs and records with household names such as Emmanuel Krivine, Charles Dutoit, Kent Nagano, Gidon Kremer, Maria João Pires, Augustin Dumay, François-René Duchable, Paul Meyer, and Renaud and Gautier Capuçon.

In the 1970s, he was a founding member and the solo violist of Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez's new-music ensemble. He is the dedicatee of more than ten viola concerti, including those by Philippe Hersant and Katsuhiro Oguri.

Previously, Caussé served as the artistic director of the Toulouse National Chamber Orchestra, and also appeared with the group as conductor and soloist.

He has also made recent solo appearances with the Orchestre National de France, Radio France Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lille (Casadesus), Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, Montpellier Philharmonic (Levi), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Luxembourg Philharmonic (Krivine), and Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra.

"We are pleased to announce the arrival of Gérard Caussé as our viola professor!" the school wrote on social media. "Gérard Caussé is a major figure in the viola world in France and internationally. A renowned soloist, sought-after chamber musician, and partner of prestigious artists, he actively promotes contemporary music and practices influential teaching. His extensive discography includes over 60 critically acclaimed albums."