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Lionel Meunier (Bass)

Born: May 12, 1981 - Clamecy, France

The French bass, Lionel Meunier, was passionate about music from a young age, and began his musical education at the local school in his hometown of Clamecy where he studied solfege, recorder and trumpet. At the age of 18, he continued his studies at the Institut Supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie (IEMP), Namur, where he subsequently graduated with a high distinction in recorder studies in 2004. During his time at IMEP, Meunier was a student of Tatiana Babut du Maresm but also took part in master-classes with Jean Tubéry, and also with Hugo Reyne. The same year, after his graduation, he began to focus on his vocal career, studying with Rita Dams and Peter Kooy at the Royal Conservatoire of the Hague.

Since then, Lionel Meunier has sung with numerous top ensembles in Europe such as Collegium Vocale Gent (Director: Philippe Herreweghe), World Youth Choir, Arsys Bourgogne (Director: Pierre Cao), Amsterdam Baroque Choir (Director: Ton Koopman), Choeur de Chambre de Namur and Ex Tempore (Director: Florian Heyerick), and with soloist ensembles such as I Favoriti de La Fenice (Jean Tubéry), the Soloists of Choeur de Chambre de Namur, Capella Pratensis, and the soloist ensemble (ripienist) of the Nederlandse Bachvereniging. These experiences have given him the opportunity to work with many of today’s leading specialists including Christophe Rousset, Tonu Kaljuste, Gustav Leonhardt, Roberto Gini, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Paul Dombrecht, Florian Heyerick, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Richard Egarr. Meunier continues to be active as a vocal soloist, performing repertoire such Schubert's Mass in A Minor, J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245), Haydn's Stabat Mater and Nelson Mass, W.A. Mozart's Kronung Mass and Mass in C Minor, and César Franck's Mass in G, etc.

Lionel Meunier drew on his broad wealth of vocal experience and collaboration to form with his friend pianist Francis Penning the critically acclaimed vocal ensemble Vox Luminis in 2004, which was later to become his predominant musical focus and Artistic Director. Since its inception, the ensemble has been praised for each of its concert appearances and recordings, winning numerous prestigious awards such as the Diapason d’Or, Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik CHOC de Classica, and being named as Gramophone Editor’s Choice. However, it was Vox Luminis’ seminal recording of Heinrich Schütz' Musikalische (considered now to be the new reference for the repertoire) that really brought them to the fore of the choral and early music world. In 2012, the disc won unarguably one of the most coveted recording awards, Gramophone Recording of the Year, along with the Baroque Vocal Gramophone Award and the International Classical Music Award.

Over the past 12 months, Lionel Meunier has increasingly been in demand as a coach, artistic leader, and conductor for ensembles throughout Europe. His thoughtful approach and passion for early and a cappella repertoire, coupled with his respect and innate understanding of singers, allows him gently to coax the highest possible standards from those with whom he collaborates. Vox Luminis is consistently praised for its seamless blend of individual voices, exquisite tuning, and clarity of sound, which Meunier is able to emulate with other vocal groups thanks to his instinctive communication skills which allows him to build trust which each musician.

Also impassioned by pedagogy, Lionel Meunier and Vox Luminis regularly give master-class and coaching, as well as lecture on the late Renaissance and Baroque repertoire.

In 2013 Lionel Meunier received the “Namurois de l’Année ” award for culture (Citizen Of The Year – Namur province). He currently resides in Namur, Belgium.



Sources:
Hazard Chace Website (2013-2014); Ensemble Vox Luminis Website; Lionel Meunier profile on Facebook
Contributed by
Aryeh Oron (May 2014)

Lionel Meunier: Short Biography | Ensembles: Vox Luminis
Bach Discography:
Recordings of Vocal Works

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Leonardo García-Alarcón

Bass

Member of Choeur de Chambre de Namur:
[C-2] (2011, 2-CD+DVD): BWV 201, BWV 205, BWV 213

Peter Van Heyghen

Bass

R. Keiser: Brockes-Passion

Bart Jacobs [organ]

Bass

[R-4] (2018): Chorales

Jos van Veldhoven

Bass

Video: BWV 29

Jos van Veldhoven

Bass

Member of Nederlandse Bachvereniging:
AOB Video:
BWV 29, BWV 36, BWV 61, BWV 62, BWV 120
[AB-231] (2014, Video): BWV 231
BWV 244 [2014, 3rd recording]

Links to other Sites

Lionel Meunier (Ensemble Vox Luminis)
Liolnel Meunier on Facebook
Lionel Meunier (Hazard Chase)


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Last update: Monday, December 06, 2021 08:55