The choir of Pentemont-Luxembourg program on Saturday June 4 at the temple of Chambon-sur-Lignon
The Pentemont-Luxembourg choir will be in concert on Saturday June 4 at 8:30 p.m. at the Chambon-sur-Lignon temple. Admission is free.
This association is attached to the United Protestant Church of Pentemont-Luxembourg, parish of Paris. This amateur choir is attached to the ecumenical character of the ensemble, which includes around sixty amateur Protestant, Catholic, Jewish or research participants, united by music and friendship. Our choir was directed for almost 30 years by Denise Weber-Gascuel and is now under the direction of Florian Westphal.
Four instrumentalists to accompany them
She sings at festive Christmas or Easter services in various Parisian parishes and gives several concerts a year in Paris and in the provinces, and even in England. These concerts are generally given with the participation of the Dimitri ensemble, which brings together four professional instrumentalists.
Their sacred music repertoire toured Europe: Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Schütz, Purcell, Vivaldi, Marcello, Charpentier, Delalande, Franck, Fauré, Mendelssohn. These works are chosen for the liturgical expression of the faith, because “wherever the choir exists, all are brought together, all of all classes are reconciled, identified, unified by music” (St Ambrose), “Let one practice music every day, in order to chase away the Devil and evil thoughts, to the glory of God.” (Luther).
FlorianWestphal
It was at the call of Denise Weber-Gascuel, two months before her death, that Florian Westphal took over as choir director last September. A graduate of the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Paris, in singing and writing, after having been a solo singer of operas, oratorios and recitalist for 25 years, he created the Choeur du Temple de Port-Royal in 2017, amateur choral association devoted to Bach’s cantatas, Protestant music, teaching singing and music.
The Dimitri Instrumental Ensemble
Céline Planes, violin, obtained the first prize from the CNSM (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris), class of Jacques Ghestem, then the Certificate of Aptitude for Violin Teacher. She was titular of the National Opera of Paris and currently plays within the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio-France, and professor at the academy of Charenton.
Bérengère Quentin de Gromard, violin, after three years as a concert performer in the United States, was appointed professor at the CRR of Villeneuve St Georges.
Renaud Stahl, viola, laureate of the Autumn Musical Festival for Young Viola Performers in 1995, he joined the Lamoureux Concert Orchestra as a soloist. The first prize unanimously from the CNSM of Paris, class of Jean Sulem, in 1997, then the Certificate of Aptitude for Violin Teacher. He is currently principal viola of the Orchester National d’Ile-de-France and professor at the conservatory of the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
Frédéric Dupuis, cello, obtained the first prize for cello from the CNSM of Paris in the class of Philippe Muller, as well as the first prize for chamber music in the class of Michel Strauss. He is part of the Paris String Trio with which he has played works by contemporary composers. He is principal cello of the Orchester National d’Ile-de-France.