Claire-Marie Le Guay & François Salque

A graduate of Yale University and the Paris Conservatoire, François Salque won prizes in international competitions from an early age (Geneva, Tchaikovsky, Munich, Rostropovich, Rose, etc.).  The "sensitivity and nobility of his playing" combined with "charisma and exceptional virtuosity" (Pierre Boulez) won him no fewer than ten first prizes and as many special prizes. His concerts have taken him to over eighty countries, and his solo and chamber music recordings with Emmanuel Pahud, Eric Le Sage, Alexandre Tharaud and, more recently, Claire-Marie Le Guay, with whom he now shares numerous recitals, have been hailed by the press (Diapasons d'Or de l'année, Chocs du Monde de la Musique, 10 de Répertoire, Prix de l'académie Charles Cros, Victoires de la Musique, Palme d'Or de la BBC, etc.).

His commitment to the music of our time has earned him dedications from contemporary composers such as Thierry Escaich, Karol Beffa, Jean-Baptiste Robin, Nicolas Bacri, Jean-François Zygel, Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, Krystof Maratka and Bruno Mantovani. He has also created a number of works combining contemporary inspiration and traditional music, and has recorded several highly original albums, notably as a duo with jazz accordionist Vincent Peirani and with his own group 'Loco cello' in the company of guitarist Samuel Strouk. Teaching is also an important part of his vocation, and he now teaches cello at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and chamber music at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSM). 

François Salque plays a magnificent 18th-century Italian 'Galliano' cello generously made available to him by Bernard Magrez. His musical intelligence, technique and eclecticism have made him a key figure in the world of music.

"Fantasy and freedom. Glorious sound and total mastery... A Salque with vibrant, intense phrasing." Diapason

"A particularly sensitive performer who interprets the music of our time with great intelligence" Henry Dutilleux

"An extraordinary breath of fresh air" Concerto.net

"François Salque is imperial in everything he approaches" Diapason

"François Salque is exceptional in all his performances" Sud-Ouest

"François Salque showed a superior technique, mastery and quality of sound combined with a genius for interpretation that makes him one of the most indisputable musicians today."  Jean-Guillaume Lebrun, En Concert magazine (review of a concert at the Théâtre du Châtelet)

March 2024