Renaud Capuçon

Distinguished by exquisite musical taste, alluring tonal clarity, infectious energy and impish charm, violinist Renaud Capuçon is the very epitome of a French musician. Born in the Alpine town of Chambéry in 1976, he rounded out his training with lessons in Berlin with Thomas Brandis, long-term concertmaster of the city’s Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1997, Capuçon was invited by Italian maestro Claudio Abbado to lead the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, and just four years later made Le Boeuf sur le toit, his first disc for Virgin (now Erato), a scintillating collection of French virtuoso bonbons conducted by another rising star, Daniel Harding. Otherwise, Capuçon has tended to focus his attention on chamber music in the recording studio, with a series of captivating releases that includes Duos (2003), an album of duos with his cellist brother, Gautier; youthfully idiomatic readings of the Brahms piano trios (2004) and Beethoven violin sonatas (2010); and Fauré’s complete chamber music with strings (2011). He was also a much-valued collaborator with pianist Martha Argerich at her annual Lugano Festival (2002-16), captured by EMI/Warner on 22 discs of live recordings. Something of a national treasure in his home country, Capuçon was the sole performer at a 2020 service in Notre Dame Cathedral, marking a year since the iconic building was nearly destroyed by fire.