Cellist Gautier Capuçon starts young musicians foundation

French cellist Gautier Capuçon has launched the Fondation Gautier Capuçon with the aim of helping young musicians establish a professional career. The foundation will offer financial support and mentorship to young musicians throughout their studies and in the early stages of their career.

Capuçon has previously worked with the Fondation Louis Vuitton on its Classe d'Excellence de Violoncelle initiative which provides masterclasses and concert opportunities for young cellists. He said: ’I know how difficult it is to access a career as a classical musician and the pandemic we are going through has only made matters worse.’

Violinists, violists, cellists, double bassists and pianists between the ages of 18-25 will be able to apply for scholarships for music study through the foundation’s website this Spring. Through the foundation, emerging young musicians will also be able to access concert opportunities with established artists, and recordings in partnership with Warner Classics.

Capuçon will lead the new organization alongside two colleagues: conductor Alain Altinoglu, current music director of both Brussels’ Royal Theatre of the Monnaie and Frankfurt’s hr-Sinfonieorchester. Altinoglu is also a professor at the CNSMDP in Paris alongside pianist Frank Braley, long-time duo partner of Capuçon's and another leader of the Fondation Gautier Capuçon. Braley is a former music director of the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia and 1991 Queen Elisabeth Competition winner.

The Fondation Gautier Capuçon’s first laureate is 23-year-old French pianist Kim Bernard. Having studied piano from the age of 5, Bernard won first prize at the 2012 Montrond-les-Bains International Competition and at the National Pianistic Nights Competition. He was admitted with exemption to the entrance examination of the National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Lyon at 14 and graduated in 2018.

You can find out more about the Fondation Gautier Capuçon at the foundation’s website.