The Republican Guard string orchestra and the French Army Choir gave the closing concert of the 2019 edition of the Masevaux Organ Festival, in Alsace, in front of more than 800 people.

This concert was the occasion to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the unification of the Alsace-Lorraine region to France, through several pieces performed by the Orchestra and the Choir: La Madelon, Le Chant du Départ, Le Chant des partisans, Alsace and Lorraine, La Marseillaise…

You can find a video extract (in French) of this concert by clicking on “learn more”

“As part of the 53rd La Chaise-Dieu music festival, a free concert took place this Saturday, August 31 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Henri Vinay garden, in Puy-en-Velay. The concert was given by the Republican Guard symphonic orchestra, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Sébastien Billard, and this event brought together about a thousand people, not only on the chairs provided for this purpose but also on the square of the Crozatier museum and the lawns of the park.

French composers in the spotlight

“We began with the opening of the Roman Carnival, by Berlioz”, presented the conductor, Sébastien Billard. It was indeed “an hour of French symphonic orchestral music” which the attentive public could attend on the seasonal scene settled in front of the kiosk, under a sky blue again after a rainy rehearsal earlier in the afternoon. After Hector Berlioz, followed Léo Delibes, a bacchanal by Camille Saint-Saëns, the “meditation of Thaïs” by Jules Massenet, then a waltz extracted from Faust by Charles Gounod. Then, works of Gabriel Fauré and Emmanuel Chabrier, and the concert ended with three extracts from the Arlesienne by Georges Bizet, the last of which was an encore from the enthusiastic applause of the public who rose to honor the talent of the musicians. ”

The full article (in French) and photos are available by clicking on “learn more”.

On July 20, 2019, the French Army Choir, among other artists, performed in front of 50,000 people who had taken place on the Grande Conche beach in Royan, during the opening concert of the 32nd edition of the festival “Un violon sur le sable”.

The next day, as part of the “off” festival called “Un violon dans la ville”, the Choir performed in the ancient theater of Fâ, in Barzan, an exceptional and atypical setting for our singers and their choirmaster, Aurore Tillac.

“In this green setting steeped in history, with breathtaking views of the Gironde estuary, the 35 singers alternated lyric works and popular songs, like this cover of the famous Poinçonneur des Lilas. […] For these military men, who had already sung the day before on the Grande Conche beach, the season ends in the most pleasant way. Two concerts are already planned for December in Paris. ” (Marie Herenstein for France Television)

The full article and a video report (in French) are available by clicking on “learn more”.

You can also find an interview (in French) with Aurore Tillac and an extract from the concert at the ancient theater here.

On July 28, 2019, the Republican Guard symphonic orchestra performed in Cluny, for the opening concert of the Cluny music festival “Les Grandes Heures”.

A look back with these pictures on the beautiful reception received by the orchestra during this concert, following the link on “learn more”:

On July 9, 2019, the  Republican Guard symphonic orchestra performed in Carcassonne, as part of the music festival held there every summer. This concert was given in tribute to the victims of the attacks of March 23, 2018 in Trèbes and Carcassonne.

“The subtle finesse of Mendelssohn, the joyous boldness of Haydn and the solemnity of Beethoven: can we imagine a more beautiful response than music to barbaric chaos which sowed terror on March 23, 2018, in Trèbes and Carcassonne? Certainly not, and the 3,000 people, calmly sat last night in the bays of the Jean-Deschamps theater in the City of Carcassonne, would not say the opposite. Because, under the heavenly vault, the Festival offered, very symbolically, a moving evening of solidarity and tribute, which was one of those magical moments that only the scenery of the city walls can produce.”

French version of the full article in the link below : 

Since April 5, 2019, the French Army Choir and the Republican Guard Orchestra album “Paris je t’aime” is available at all record stores and on download platforms.

“Is there any better way to celebrate Paris than with songs? Paris, the city of lights that makes the world dream, has given birth to the most beautiful melodies of French songs. Famous singers, such as Aznavour, Brel, Dassin, Dutronc, Gainsbourg, Trenet and many others, they all sang their love for Paris, evoking its popular neighborhoods, its trendy neighborhoods, the Paris of lovers, that of tourists , Paris by day, by night, in spring…

Today, it is the French Army Choir , an exceptional ensemble of 40 magnificent men voices who enchant us by revisiting Les Champs Élysées, Il est 5 heures Paris s’éveille, Le Poinçonneur des Lilas, Valses de Paris, Les feuilles mortes…

Accompanied by the Republican Guard Orchestra, these warm, thrilling, agile, and sometimes funny, but always moving voices are masterfully directed by their conductor Aurore Tillac.

“Paris, je t’aime !”

Listen to their version of Joe Dassin’s “Champs Élysées”, one of the song in the album, following the link below :

You can now see and listen to the full concert that the Orchestra gave in 2018, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the French bank, Caisse d’épargne.

This four parts concert is a travel through 200 years of music, from Schubert to John Williams, by way of Ravel and Gershwin.

At the end of June, while the heatwave was striking Paris, the singers of the Choir had to wear a cassock to participate in Karlheinz Stockhausen’s “Samstag aus Licht”.

This production, directed by Maxime Pascal of the ensemble Le Balcon, and the remarkable participation of the Choir, were widely praised by critics.

You can read the dedicated articles (in French) from Télérama, Franceinfo, and Olyrix.

Télérama : “The Farewell to Lucifer is the chosen domain of the French Army Choir (superb male voices).”