Christophe Deslignes

Biography

Christophe Deslignes received a classical musical education as a flautist and pianist. He developed a passion for early music in the early 1980s, specializing in playing the organetto (medieval portable organ) from 1989 onwards. He discovered this forgotten instrument, astonishing for its virtuosity and expressiveness, at the beginning of his studies of medieval music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliens, from which he graduated (1994). He contributed to the international success of the Mala Punica Ensemble, with the recording of 6 CDs and concert tours (1992-98). His solo album "Les Maîtres de l'Organetto florentin au XIVème" siècle was named record of the year 1998 by the daily newspaper "Le Monde". Co-founder of Millenarium (1998-2008), he recorded 6 albums with this artistic collective, including two productions as conductor: "Officium lusorum" and "Le Llibre Vermell de Montserrat". In concert, he collaborates with the Ensembles Convivencia, Amadis, Syntagma, Trobart, UB°K, La Salamandre, laReverdie, La Quintina and has recorded some fifty discs for the Arcana, Erato, Jade, Studio SM, Ricercar, Trobavox, Carpe Diem and MA Recordings labels. A medieval dance student of Erika Schneiter, Véronique Daniels and Andrea Francalanci, Christophe began re-enacting courtly, religious and popular dances from the 11th to 14th centuries at the 1996 Festival des Luthiers et Maîtres Sonneurs in Saint-Chartier. He collaborates with Catherine Ingrassia and Xavier Terrasa on the "La Danse Médiévale" booklets (Volumes 1 and 2, 2009-10). Christophe has also worked as a musician at the Musée de la Musique in Paris since 2004, as well as in hospitals, at the Institut Curie (2013-21) and at the CHU de Vannes in the neonatagogy and pediatrics departments (2018-21). A passionate pedagogue, he founded the Saint-Bris-le-Vineux medieval music and dance workshop (1997-2011), and is also involved in workshops in Sulniac, Audrix and Bayeux, as well as in schools, leisure centers and retirement homes. Christophe Deslignes coordinates the Ateliers Médiévaux at the CRD A. Honegger du Havre around the musical animation of the Brassy Collection since September 2018. He founded Compagnie Artemusie with Eva Fogelgesang in 2012. Artemusie performs in concerts, animations and workshops in programs of medieval and world music. Passionate about Free Improvisation, he regularly collaborates with video artists and electroacoustic music creators Brice Gruet, Thomas Lehn, Thibault Walter.