Anthony Girard

Anthony Girard
Anthony Girard's musical language is distinguished by its emphasis on melodic design, lyricism, and arabesque.

His harmony is modal, continually seeking refreshed hues; his rhythmic notation, at times obsessive, often settles within a timeless realm. The composer is fond of narrative structures, sometimes meditative, with dreamlike qualities. Rooted in the legacy of the French school, particularly in terms of harmonic and orchestral exploration, Anthony Girard's work was influenced in his younger years by diverse elements: medieval polyphony, traditional Indian music, and select minimalist works. These influences allowed him to craft a distinctive style, further enriched by readings of mystical and poetic texts. Through some of his inspirational themes, Girard seems drawn towards light, joy, and simplicity. However, this spiritual aspiration is rooted in nostalgia and unease, which also feed the emotional part of his language. Thus, his music stands between the disillusionment of the contemporary artist and the desire to share a still-possible experience of beauty.
Born in 1959, Anthony Girard pursued his studies at the National Conservatory of Paris, where, from 1980 to 1986, he secured five First Prizes in harmony, counterpoint, analysis, orchestration, and composition. Concurrently, he pursued a course in music history at the Sorbonne University, earning a DEA in 1985. From 1986 to 1988, he resided at the Casa de Velasquez in Madrid.
By 2023, his repertoire includes nearly two hundred and fifty compositions. He has collaborated with various ensembles such as the Radio-France Philharmonic Orchestra, the Colonne Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Lille, the Picardy Orchestra, the Bernard Calmel Orchestra, the À Ciel Ouvert ensemble, the Arpeggione Quartet, and the Carpe Diem ensemble. His compositions have been recorded numerous times, including twelve monographic albums: Œuvres orchestrales, Musique sacrée (Pavane), Le cercle de la vie, Behind the light (Naxos), Music for harpe (Harp&Co), Chemins couleur du temps (double CD Folle Avoine), Derniers instants avant la nuit (Hortus), Œuvres pour violon (Azur Classical) Éloge de la candeur, Effleurer le silence et Loin, toujours plus loin (Centre International Albert Roussel).
Since 2009, Anthony Girard has been teaching orchestration and musical analysis at the CRR of Paris and orchestration at the CNSMDP since 2012.