Henry Fourès


Henry Fourès is a French historian of music and musician.

Life

Born in Coursan, Fourès first followed lessons of art history at the Paul Valéry University in Montpellier and musical studies at the conservatoire de Paris where he won his First Prizes in writing classes, musical analysis and composition. He then studied medieval musicology at the Berlin University of the Arts and the piano at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna.
After being an intern at the Groupe de recherches musicales in 1975-1977, he was appointed professor in charge of improvised music at the Conservatoire de Pantin from 1977 to 1980. He then taught the history of medieval music from 1980 to 1982 at the University of Toulouse le Mirail. In 1982 he was appointed Inspector General of Music responsible for teaching and then creation at the at the French Ministry of Culture. He left this position in 1990 to devote himself fully to his activities as a composer and performer. He was artistic director of the creative studio, then worked regularly in Germany where he was invited to perform with various symphonic and radio ensembles.
His activities cover many areas. He has made films for television, composed music for image, dance and stage. He is also the author of numerous radio creations and the director of Hörspiel for the Hessischer Rundfunk and the Westdeutscher Rundfunk. He has written symphonic works, chamber music, electronic music pieces, mixed music, and vocal music, but has also designed and produced interactive installations and major events.
Fourès was director of the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Lyon from 2000 to 2009. He is also co-artistic director with composer Reinhard Flender of the Franco-German OPUS XXI Academy of Chamber Music, which is dedicated to the contemporary repertoire.

Selected works

Vocal music ''a cappella''