(b. 10 May 1964, Paris).
French composer, now resident in Germany, of mostly orchestral and chamber works that have been performed throughout Europe and in North America.
Prof. Andre studied analysis, composition, counterpoint, harmony, and musical research with Claude Ballif, Gérard Grisey and other teachers at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he earned six premier prix and graduated in 1992. He earned his PhD in musicology, Le compossible musical de l'Ars subtilior, under the supervision of Olivier Boulnois and Philippe Vendrix, at the École Normale Supérieure de Paris (Ulm-Jourdan) and the Centre d'Études Supérieures de la Renaissance de Tours in 1993. He then studied composition with Helmut Lachenmann at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1994–97 and attended the Darmstädter Ferienkurse in 1996, where he encountered Wolfgang Rihm.
Among his honours are a residency at the Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart (1995–96), the Kompositionspreis from the city of Stuttgart (1996, for le trou noir univers), the Blaue Brücke Preis (1996, for fatal), a residency at the Villa Médicis-hors-les-murs in Germany (1996), the Kranichsteiner Musikpreis at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse (1996, for un-fini and le loin et le profond), and a scholarship to work at the Experimentalstudio des SWR in Freiburg im Breisgau (1997–98). He later held a residency at the Villa Medici in Rome (1999–2001) and received the Internationaler Kompositionspreis of Oper Frankfurt in Frankfurt am Main (2001, for ...das O... from ...22,13... [Musiktheater-Passion in drei Teilen]) and the Förderpreis der Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung in Munich (2002). He worked as a guest of the Berliner Künstlerprogramm of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (2005) and has earned the Preis of the Christoph-und-Stephan-Kaske-Stiftung (2006), the Produktionspreis of the Giga-Hertz-Preis für elektronische Musik in Karlsruhe (2007), the Orchesterpreis der Donaueschingen Musiktage (2007, for ...auf... III), and the Förderpreis of the Berliner Kunstpreis from the Akademie der Künste in Berlin (2008). He has been a member of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin since 2009, of the Sächsische Akademie der Künste in Dresden since 2010 and of the Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste in Munich since 2012. In addition, he was named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France in 2011 and received the Kompositionspreis of the Gerhart und Renate Baum-Stiftung (2012), the Orchesterpreis der Donaueschingen Musiktage (2015, for über) and the Kunst- und Kulturpreis der deutschen Katholiken (2017).
He has also held other posts. He served as composer-in-residence at the Musikverein Wien in 2022–23.
He lectured at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse in 1998, 2006 and 2010 and at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt am Main in 2001. He taught counterpoint and instrumentation at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Strasbourg from 2002–07. He has taught as Professor für Komposition at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden since 2009. He was a fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin in 2012–13.
He has lived in Germany since 1994.
His primary publisher is Edition Peters/Wise Music Classical.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
...22,13... (Musiktheater-Passion in drei Teilen) (music-theatre work–passion in 3 parts, text by the composer, after the Bible [translated by Martin Luther, the Church of Sweden]), 2 sopranos, 5 altos, ensemble (2 bass clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 trombones, 2 harps, 2 cellos, 2 double basses, 2 pianos, 4 percussion) (around hall), live electronics, 2000–04
wunderzaichen (Oper in vier Situationen) (opera in 4 situations, libretto by the composer, Patrick Hahn, after the Bible, Johannes Reuchlin, Jean-Luc Nancy, Jewish mystical sources), soprano, 2 mezzo-sopranos, tenor, male speaker–actor, on-stage mixed chorus, 6 mixed choruses (24 total voices) (around hall), large orchestra (12 winds, 12 brass, 2 harps, 2 prepared pianos, accordion, 6 percussion, 42 strings), live electronics, 2008–14
ORCHESTRAL:
le trou noir univers, oboe (+ English horn), harp, guitar, mandolin, balalaika, violin, harpsichord, small orchestra (6 winds, 7 brass, prepared piano, 2 MIDI-keyboards, 3 percussion, 6 cellos, 3 double basses), live electronics, 1992–93
modell, large orchestra in 5 groups (69 total players), 1999–2000
...auf... I, large orchestra (16 winds, 15 brass, 2 harps, 2 pianos, 4 percussion, strings), 2005–06
...auf... II, large orchestra (16 winds, 15 brass, 2 harps, 2 pianos, 4 percussion, strings), 2005–07
...auf... III, large orchestra (16 winds, 15 brass, 2 harps, 2 pianos, 6 percussion, strings), live electronics, 2005–07
kar, 12/22 strings, 2008–09, revised 2016
hij 1, large orchestra (16 winds, 14 brass, 2 harps, piano, 3 percussion, 52 strings), 2008–10
an, violin, large orchestra (12 winds, 12 brass, harp, piano, accordion, 2 percussion, 48 strings), 2014–15
über, clarinet, large orchestra (13 winds, 11 brass, harp, piano, accordion, 4 percussion, 48 strings), live electronics, 2014–15
woher...wohin, large orchestra (13 winds, 11 brass, harp, piano, accordion, 4 percussion, 48 strings), 2015–17
...hin..., harp (+ bass drum, tam-tam), orchestra (8 winds, 6 brass, piano, accordion, 2 percussion, 23 strings), 2017–18
rwḥ 1, small orchestra (piano, accordion, percussion, 8 violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos, 2 double basses) (around hall), fixed media, 2019
Vier Echographien, large orchestra (8 winds, 9 brass, harp, piano, accordion, 3 percussion, 44 strings), 2016–22 (each of its four sections may be performed separately: Echographie 1, 2020–21; Echographie 2, 2020–21; Echographie 3, 2016, revised 2021–22; Echographie 4, 2021–22)
Dasein 1, small orchestra (flute [+ bass flute], oboe, clarinet [+ bass clarinet], bassoon [+ contrabassoon], Wagner tuba, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, piano, accordion, 3 percussion, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass), 2021–23
Im Entschwinden, large orchestra (12 winds, 11 brass, harp, piano, accordion, 4 percussion, 48 strings), 2022–23
Im Entfalten (Dem Andenken an Pierre Boulez), large orchestra (12 winds, 11 brass, harp, piano, 4 percussion, 48 strings), 2023–25
CHAMBER MUSIC:
le loin et le profond, bass clarinet, trombone, viola, cello, double bass, prepared piano, percussion, 1994–95
fatal, contrabass clarinet, contrabass tuba, prepared harp, cimbalom, 5-string double bass, prepared piano, harpsichord, 2 percussion, 1995
un-fini, harp, cimbalom, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, 1995–96
un-fini I, harp (+ bass drum, tam-tam), 1995–96
ab I, contrabass clarinet, cello, piano, 2 percussion, 1996–97
ab II, contrabass clarinet, cimbalom, cello, piano, 2 percussion, live electronics, 1996–97
tempus perfectum, 6 percussion, 1998
kanon, contrabass clarinet, double bass, prepared piano, 2000
...als... I, bass clarinet, cello, piano, 2001
...als... II, bass clarinet, cello, piano, live electronics, 2001
...in..., bass clarinet, 2002
asche, bass flute, bass clarinet, viola, cello, piano, 2004, revised 2014
...zu..., violin, viola, cello, 2003–05, revised 2017–19
durch, soprano saxophone, piano, percussion, 2004–05
... zu Staub ..., bass flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2004–05
...hoc..., cello, live electronics, 2005–06
ni, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2006
iv 2, cello, 2007, revised 2020
iv 3, clarinet, 2007–08
...es..., flute, oboe, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass, 2007–08
üg, bass flute, oboe, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, piano, 2 percussion, violin, viola, 2 cellos, double bass, live electronics, 2007–08
iv 4, flute (+ bass flute), oboe (+ English horn), bass clarinet, tuba, 2008–09
iv 7, contrabass clarinet, 2008–09 (material also used in iv 16)
iv 9, bass flute, English horn, bass clarinet, 2008–10
iv 8, violin, viola, cello, 2009–10
iv 6, trumpet, 2009–11
da, bassoon, ensemble (trumpet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass), 2010–11, revised 2017
Zwischenraum, bass flute (+ flute, crotales), oboe (+ crotales), clarinet (+ timpani, crotales), contrabassoon (+ bassoon, crotales), French horn (+ crotales), trumpet (+ crotales), trombone (+ crotales), tuba (+ crotales), 2 prepared pianos, 2 percussion, violin (+ crotales), viola (+ crotales), cello (+ crotales), double bass (+ crotales), 2011–12
iv 5, oboe, 2011–12
E, cello, 2012, revised 2018
AZ, flute (+ bass flute), oboe, clarinet, bassoon (+ contrabassoon), French horn, trumpet, trombone, harp, prepared piano, 2 percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2011–13
E2, cello, double bass, 2012–13
iv 12, soprano saxophone, 2013
riss 2, bass flute (+ flute), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet, bassoon (+ contrabassoon), French horn, trumpet, trombone, harp, piano, accordion, 2 percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2014, revised 2019
S2, percussion, 2015
iv 14, 2 guitars, 2015
riss 3, bass flute (+ flute), oboe, clarinet, bassoon (+ contrabassoon), Wagner tuba, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, piano, accordion, 2 percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2014–16
iv 13 (Miniaturen), string quartet, 2014–17
riss 1, bass flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon (+ contrabassoon), French horn, trumpet, trombone, harp, piano, 2 percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2015–17, revised 2019
Atemwind, clarinet, 2016–17
...selig sind..., clarinet, fixed media, 2016–18
Drei Stücke für Ensemble, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2018
iv 16, muted tuba, 2018 (based on material from iv 7)
rwḥ 3, bass flute, oboe, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 2020
iv 18 ("Sie fürchteten sich nämlich"), double bass, 2018–21
wohin, harp (+ tam-tam, Thai gong, music box), ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, contrabassoon, Wagner tuba, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, 2 percussion, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass), 2020–21
Sieben Stücke für Streichquartett, string quartet, 2021–22
Vier Stücke für Ensemble, bass flute, English horn, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 2024
iv 19 (Pfingsten-Echos), double bass, organ, 2025
CHORAL:
hij 2, 24 mixed voices, live electronics, 2010–12
enSof (text from the Book of John), soprano, alto, tenor, bass, 24 mixed voices, 2011–14
3, 6 mixed voices, 2015
rwḥ 2, 8 mixed voices, piano, off-stage accordion, percussion, 2/4 violins, 1/2 violas, 1/2 cellos, 1/2 off-stage double basses, 2019–20
rwḥ 4, children's chorus, 4 mixed choruses, small orchestra (bass flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, piano, accordion, percussion, 8 violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos, 2 double basses) (around hall), fixed media, 2021
VOCAL:
ein abgrund (text by Georg Büchner), baritone, viola, cello, 1990–91
kontra-etüde, male voice, bassoon, cello/double bass, 2001
iv 17 – 8 Miniaturen (text from the Book of John), soprano, piano, 2018–19
PIANO:
un-fini IIIA, 1993–95
contrapunctus, 1998–99
iv 1, 2009–10, revised 2021
iv 11, 2011, revised 2016
S1, 2 pianos, 2011–12
S3, piano, fixed media, 2015–16, revised 2020
Vier Stücke für Klavier, 2023
...selig ist..., piano, live electronics, 2023–24
ORGAN:
iv 15 (Himmelfahrt), 2018
DISCOGRAPHY
ein abgrund. Ensemble SurPlus (Solitude: 70, 1996)
un-fini. Jürg Wyttenbach/Ensemble Modern (col legno: WWE 20008, 1997)
ab II. ensemble recherche; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (col legno: WWE 20025, 1998)
un-fini IIIA. Eric Huebner, piano (col legno: WWE 20055, 2000)
modell. Lothar Zagrosek/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (col legno: WWE 20201, 2001)
...in.... Shizuyo Oka, bass clarinet (Kairos: 0012442KAI, 2004)
un-fini I; asche; ein abgrund; ...in.... Nicholas Isherwood, baritone; Philippe Berrod, bass clarinet; Virginie Tarrête, harp, bass drum, tam-tam; Ensemble Alternance (3D Classics: 3D8035, 2005)
durch; ...zu... (original version); ...in...; ...als... II. Shizuyo Oka, bass clarinet; Trio Accanto; ensemble recherche; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (Kairos: 0012732KAI, 2008)
...als... I. Rafael Caldentey Crego, bass clarinet; Wolfgang Zamastil, cello; Ueli Wiget, piano (NEOS: 10821, 2008)
...auf... III. Sylvain Cambreling/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (NEOS: 10826, 2008) (SACD)
iv 4; contrapunctus; ... zu Staub ...; iv 3; iv 2 (original version). Dirk Descheemaeker, clarinet; Frédéric Baldassare, cello; Jean-Marie Cottet, piano; Ensemble Alternance (Stradivarius: STR 33837, 2010)
ni. Rupert Huber/musikFabrik (WERGO: WER 6856 2, 2010)
...22,13... (Musiktheater-Passion in drei Teilen). Yvonne Friedli, soprano; Viola Wiemker, soprano; Ulrike Bartsch, alto; Wiebke Kretzschmar, alto; Dorothee Merkel, alto; Anja Schumacher, alto; Katrin Weege, alto; Gerhardt Müller-Goldboom/work in progress – Berlin (NEOS: 11067–68, 2012) (2 SACDs)
S1; un-fini IIIA; iv 11 (original version); contrapunctus; iv 1 (original version). Tomoko Hemmi, piano; Yukiko Sugawara, piano (WERGO: WER 6783 2, 2013)
iv 9. ensemble recherche (WERGO: WER 6792 2, 2014)
...auf... I; ...auf... II; ...auf... III. Sylvain Cambreling/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (WERGO: WER 7322 2, 2014)
iv 5. Christian Hommel, oboe (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMCD-041–42, 2015)
ab II. Detlef Heusinger/Collegium Novum Zürich; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (NEOS: 11516, 2015) (SACD)
über. Jörg Widmann, clarinet; François-Xavier Roth/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (NEOS: 11611–12, 2016) (2 SACDs)
riss 1; riss 2; riss 3. Ingo Metzmacher/Ensemble Modern (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMCD-045, 2019)
hij 1; hij 2. Marcus Creed/SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart; Mariano Chiacchiarini/WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (WERGO: WER 7379 2, 2019)
rwḥ 1. Bas Wiegers/Ensemble Resonanz; Experimentalstudio des SWR, live electronics (NEOS: 12013, 2020) (SACD)
iv 13 (Miniaturen); iv 15 (Himmelfahrt); woher...wohin. Stephan Heuberger, organ; Arditti String Quartet; Matthias Pintscher/Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (BR-Klassik: 900637/musica viva: 37, 2021)
iv 14. Duo Conradi–Gehlen (Bella Musica/Antes Edition: BM319323, 2022)
iv 12. Michele Bianchini, soprano saxophone (Da Vinci Classics: C00683, 2022)
Sieben Stücke für Streichquartett. Kuss Quartett (Rubicon Classics: RCD1104, 2024)