Quatuor Leonis

Leonis Quartet 
Guillaume Antonini, violin
Sébastien Richaud, violin
Alphonse Dervieux, viola
Julien Decoin, cello

Founded in 2002 by four former students of the Paris and Lyon Conservatoires, the Leonis Quartet quickly made a name for itself on the international scene, winning 3rd prize at the prestigious Geneva International Competition in 2006.

Trained by the greatest masters of the discipline (Ysaye, Debussy, Hagen, Tokyo, Berg, Eberhard Feltz, Zoltan Toth quartets...), the Leonis Quartet today carries the rich heritage of the string quartet into unique, unusual creations at the crossroads of artistic disciplines.
The Quatuor Leonis has performed in venues and festivals as varied as the Théâtre National du Châtelet (Paris), the Ferme du Rebout (Nièvre), the Théâtre National de Nice, the Chapelle Saint-Nicolas de Plufur (Côtes-d'Armor), the Guangzhou Opera (CH), the Camion d'Alimentation Culturelle tour (Nièvre), the Salerno Opera (IT) and the Avignon Festival... It was in residence at the Théâtre National de l'Odéon for five years (Olivier Py), at the Théâtre de l'Aquarium, Cartoucherie de Vincennes (François Rancillac) for six years and at the Maison Nevers for five years.

The Quatuor Leonis has never ceased to propose objects halfway between concert and performance, such as Cordes Électriques (2015 - quartet and electronics with composer Jacopo Baboni-Schilingi) and Leonis Variations (2021 - with jazz pianist Pierre De Bethmann). The quartet also explores more literary forms with Les Tragédiennes sont venues (2012 - musical reading with Olivier Py) and Les Années (2013 - musical reading with Ariane Ascaride).

After taking part in Adagio (2011 - directed by Olivier Py), he decided to create his own solo shows, Eclisse Totale (2014 - directed by Manu Kroupit), which played over 200 dates, followed by L'Art délicat du quatuor (2022 - directed by Jos Houben). Currently accompanied by Laurent Cirade (Le Quatuor, Duel...), the Quatuor Leonis is preparing its new musical humor creation, which will be aimed at French-speaking and international audiences.

With Panenka, they join forces with Compagnie Antoinette Gomis in a multi-disciplinary show combining music, dance and soccer (co-produced with the Philharmonie de Paris and part of the Cultural Olympiad - June 2024). A lover of the great repertoire, the Quatuor Leonis also offers a three-day marathon performance of Beethoven's string quartets and a lecture concert on the string quartet, Quartet Story.
A testament to the quality of its commitment and artistic projects, the Quatuor Leonis was supported from 2016 to 2023 by the DRAC Bourgogne Franche Comté, a region in which it founded and led the Festival Les Pinces à Linges from 2014 to 2023 (supported by the Nevers agglomeration, the Nièvre department and then the DRAC BFC), with a version for disabled audiences and school audiences Les Petites Pinces.

Versatile, innovative and passionate, the Quatuor Leonis is committed to opening up and creating in order to win over new audiences and raise awareness, while maintaining the artistic rigor appreciated by music lovers.

April 2024