Johan Farjot

Johan Farjot was born in Saint-Étienne, where he began studying music at the local conservatory. Enrolling at the Paris Conservatoire, he was taught by, among others, Michaël Levinas, Thierry Escaich, Zsolt Nagy and obtained five Premiers prix (Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue, Music theory and analysis, Conducting).

Coming third in the Agrégation de Musique, a highly competitive examination for teachers, Johan Farjot studied chamber music at the Conservatoire national de musique et de danse in Lyon .

Farjot composes in many genres and forms, always exploring new sound horizons. His works are performed by leading musicians, as showcased by one of his recent critically acclaimed CDs Fuga Libera, Contemporary Clarinet Concertos, released in August 2019 by Outhere. This CD has been awarded many prestigious titles like Diapason d’Or, Diapason of the Year, Choice of France Music, etc .

Alongside concertos by Lindberg and Hartmann, this CD features Farjot’s triple concerto Fantasme - Cercles de Mana for viola (Arnaud Thorette), cello (Antoine Pierlot), clarinet (Jean-Luc Votano) and orchestra (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège conducted by Christian Arming).

A monographic CD Childhood (Klarthe) was digitally released in May 2020 (physical release scheduled for September 2020). It contains chamber music performed by artists such as Ensemble Contraste, Geneviève Laurenceau, Jérôme Ducros, Pierre Génisson, etc .

As a composer, Johan Farjot sometimes tackles more popular music styles. This is the case of his children’s musical tale Georgia, Tous mes rêves chantent (Gallimard), published in 2017 in the form of a book with CD in collaboration with Ensemble Contraste (author of the story: Thimotée de Fombelle, illustrator: Benjamin Chaud) and in partnership with the association SOS Children's Villages. Many musicians and singers took part in this project (among them are Alain Chamfort, Emily Loizeau, Albin de la Simone, Marie Oppert, etc.).

Continuing in the same line of work, during the summer of 2020 Johan Farjot composed the music for a new children's book-CD entitled Siam - Au fil de l'eau (Flammarion, author of the story: Arnaud Thorette, illustrator: Olivier Latyk) which also involves a large number of artists (Gérard Jugnot, François-Xavier Demaison, Juliette, Tim Dup, etc.). This CD was created in partnership with the association Le Rire docteur.

Exploring a whole other sphere, Farjot reinvents Schubert for the CD Schubert in Love (Alpha) in collaboration with Ensemble Contraste and the folk singer Rosemary Standley, released in the summer of 2020.

As an orchestrator, Johan Farjot never stops offering new insights into music genres and styles he is passionate about, whether it be musicals (Song, released in 2011 by Naïve and featuring opera singers such as Karine Deshayes, Sandrine Piau, Magali Léger, Alain Buet, Sébastien Droy, Sébastien Guèze, etc.), Johann Sebastian Bach (Transcriptions, Dolce Volta, 2013), or tango (Café 1930, Zig-Zag Territoires, 2009 and Besame Mucho, Aparté, 2017, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège).

Equally worth mentioning is Farjot’s exploration of the realm of jazz, carried out in particular through compositions addressing a very unique ensemble (two keyboards played by Karol Beffa, Arnaud Thorette’s viola and Raphaël Imbert’s saxophone) for a CD entitled Miroir(s) released in 2013 by Naïve. In these works, Farjot revisits some of the great classic and universally known themes.

Contributing as a pianist to the Ensemble Contraste which he created and which he now co-directs with the violinist and violist Arnaud Thorette, Johan Farjot has built a solid discography (over thirty CDs praised by critics, with some of them distinguished by the titles “Diapason d'or”, “Choc Classica”, etc.) and performs with prestigious musicians in numerous festivals and concert seasons in France and abroad.

Among these recordings, one may retain a CD dedicated to Bruch's music (Diapason d'Or) released in 2009 by Cyprès, three Brahms sonatas for violin and piano with Geneviève Laurenceau recorded in 2010 for the label Zig-Zag Territoires, as well as a CD of Fauré’s music including his First Piano Quartet and La Bonne Chanson, recorded with Ensemble Contraste and Karine Deshayes (Diamant from Opéra Magazine). Finally, let us mention a monographic CD dedicated to Onslow (Choc Classica), recorded in 2010 with Initium Ensemble and released by Timpani. In 2012, Farjot released a CD dedicated to Charles Koechlin with the same musicians.

Farjot’s other achievements are a Bach CD (Dolce Volta/Harmonia Mundi) recorded with Ensemble Contraste , and a Schumann CD (Cyprès) made in collaboration with Jean-Luc Votano and Arnaud Thorette.

In 2015, two CDs were released by Aparté: After a Dream, a collection of mélodies françaises interpreted by the mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes and unanimously acclaimed by critics (Choc Classica), and Into the Dark, containing works for string orchestra composed by Karol Beffa and recorded with Karine Deshayes, Arnaud Thorette, Emmanuel Ceysson and the enlarged Ensemble Contraste, directed by Johan Farjot (Click on Classique News, Grand Prix des Lycéens).

As a performer, Johan Farjot always remains closely connected to the world of contemporary music: he premiered a number of works and several composers dedicated their pieces to him (Karol Beffa, Philippe Hersant, etc.).

As a pianist, Johan Farjot has always been close to the world of jazz and has collaborated with many great jazz performers such as Anne Paceo, Hugh Coltman, Daniel Humair, André Ceccarelli, etc. Ever since March 2016, alongside the saxophonist Raphaël Imbert, Farjot is the artistic director of an on-going series of concerts “Les 1001 Nuits du Jazz” that take place in Bal Blomet, a historic jazz club located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris (Farjot and Imbert organize two concerts per month featuring many guest stars). One of such concerts has been immortalized in the form of a live CD in the spring of 2020 (Les Mille et une Nuits du Jazz. Johan Farjot, Raphaël Imbert and Guests released by MDC/Pias) .

Musical coordinator at the University of Paris Sciences et Lettres, where he also conducts a university orchestra and choir, Johan Farjot is the guest conductor of several ensembles in France and abroad: National Orchestra of the Capitole of Toulouse, Bratislava Radio Orchestra, Durban Philharmonic Orchestra, Marseille Opera Orchestra, National Orchestra of Auvergne, Jan Talich Orchestra of Prague, Berolina-Orchester/Berliner Symphoniker Orchestra, etc.

Tenebrae, Contemporary pieces for viola and piano : P. Hersant, E. Canat de Chizy, T. Escaich, N. Bacri, K. Beffa, etc.

Piano : Johan Farjot, viola : Arnaud Thorette. Accord-Universal, 2006 .

Hersant Philippe, Chamber music.

Piano : Johan Farjot, Bassoon : Gilbert Audin, clarinet : Jean-Marc Fessard, violin : Pierre Colombet, viola : Arnaud Thorette, cello : Raphaël Merlin. TRITON, 2007 .

Brahms Johannes, Chamber music.

Piano : Johan Farjot, viola : Arnaud Thorette, cello : Raphaël Merlin, voice : Karine Deshayes. Accord-Universal, 2008.

Café 1930, tangos (Piazzolla, Gardel, etc.), Ensemble Contraste.

Piano and transcriptions : Johan Farjot, violin : Geneviève Laurenceau, viola : Arnaud Thorette, cello : Raphaël Merlin, drums : André Ceccarelli, sax : Raphaël Imbert, voice : Magali Léger et Karine Deshayes. Zig-Zag Territoires, 2009 .

Beffa Karol, Masques, Chamber music. Ensemble Contraste.

Piano : Johan Farjot, violin : Geneviève Laurenceau, viola : Arnaud Thorette, cello : Antoine Pierlot. Triton, 2009 .

Bruch Max, Chamber music and Orchestra.

Piano : Johan Farjot, viola : Arnaud Thorette, clarinet : Jean-Luc Votano, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Liège, direction : Pascal Rophé. Cypres, 2009 .

Brahms Johannes, Violin Sonatas.

Piano : Johan Farjot, violin : Geneviève Laurenceau. Zig-Zag Territoires, 2010.

Durosoir Lucien, Chamber music.

Piano : Johan Farjot, cello : Raphaël Merlin. Alpha, 2011 .

Fauré Gabriel, Piano Quartet n°1 - La Bonne Chanson. Ensemble Contraste.

Mezzo : Karine Deshayes , Piano : Johan Farjot, violin : Geneviève Laurenceau, Maud Lovett, viola : Arnaud Thorette, cello : Antoine Pierlot. Zig-Zag Territoires, 2011 .

Songs, Musicals. Ensemble Contraste.

Karine Deshayes, Magali Léger, Alain Buet, Sébastien Guèze, Sébastien Droit, Emily Loizeau, Isabelle Georges, Raphaël Imbert, Rosemary Standley, etc. Naïve, 2011 .

Onslow George, Chamber music.

Ensemble Contraste, Ensemble Initium. Piano : Johan Farjot. Timpani, 2011 .

Koechlin, Chamber music.

Ensemble Contraste, Ensemble Initium. Pn : Johan Farjot. Timpani, 2012 .

Bach - Transcription.

Ensemble Contraste. Dolce Volta, 2013 .

Schumann’s Fantasy, Chamber music. Ensemble Contraste.

Piano : Johan Farjot, viola : Arnaud Thorette, Clarinet : Jean-Luc Votano. Cypres, 2013 .

Miroir(s), transcriptions.

Johan Farjot et Karol Beffa, piano - Fender Rhodes ; Arnaud Thorette, viola ; Raphaël Imbert, saxophone. Naïve, 2013 .

Tous en coeur, 100 artistes au profit de SOS Villages d’Enfants.

Ensemble Contraste ; Naïve, 2013 .

Midsummer Phantasy, Henry Purcell, Frank Bridge, Olivier Penard.

Ensemble Contraste. DUX, 2014 .

Into the dark, Karol Beffa. Ensemble Contraste.

Direction : Johan Farjot, Karine Deshayes, mezzo-soprano ; Arnaud Thorette, viola ; Emmanuel Ceysson, harp. Aparté, 2015 .

Après un rêve, French songs. Ensemble Contraste

Karine Deshayes, Mezzo-Soprano. Aparté, 2015 .

Georgia - Tous mes rêves chantent. Author : Thimotée de Fombelle ; music : Johan Farjot. Ensemble Contraste.

With Cécile de France, Alain Chamfort, Emily Loizeau, Albin de la Simone, Ben Mazué, Amandine Bourgeois, Pauline Croze, Ariane Moffatt, Raphaële Lannadère, Babx, Rosemary Standley, Marie Oppert, etc. Gallimard Jeunesse, 2016 .

Besame Mucho, Symphonic Tangos. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Liège.

Direction : Johan Farjot; Noémie Waysfeld, voice ; Ensemble Contraste. Aparté, 2017 .

Eugène Anthiome, Songs. Ensemble Contraste.

Ambroisine Bré, Mezzo-Soprano. Contraste Production / PIAS, 2018 .

Contemporary Clarinet concertos, Lindberg, Hartmann, Farjot (Fantasme – Cercles de Mana).

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Liège, direction : Christian Arming ; viola : Arnaud Thorette ; Clarinet : Jean-Luc Votano ; cello : Antoine Pierlot. Outhere / Fuga Libera, 2019.

Les 1001 nuits du jazz - Live au bal Blomet

Johan Farjot, piano, et Raphaël Imbert, saxophone, and Guests (Anne Pacéo, Daniel Humair, Hugh Coltman, etc.). MDC / PIAS, 2020 .

Tohu-Bohu, Contemporary pieces (Escaich, Beffa, Kaspar, Debussy, etc.).

Ensemble Saxo Voce, direction : Johan Farjot. Indésens, 2020.

Childhood, Johan Farjot.

Thirty artists (Geneviève Laurenceau, Jérôme Ducros, Karine Deshayes, Ambroisine Bré, Arnaud Thorette, Karol Beffa, etc.). Klarthe, 2020.

Deux mezzos sinon rien, French and german pieces (Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Brahms, Mendelssohn, etc.).

Karine Deshayes et Delphine Haidan, mezzo-sopranos ; Johan Farjot, piano. Klarthe, 2020 .

Siam – Au fil de l'eau. Author : Arnaud Thorette, Music : Johan Farjot.

Ensemble Contraste with Sara Giraudeau, Marie Oppert, Tim dup, Albin de la Simone, Juliette, Karine Deshayes, Rosemary Standley, Gérard Jugnot, François-Xavier Demaison, Ariane Ascaride, Yanowski, Vanille, etc. Flammarion Jeunesse, 2020.

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