Photo : Quatuor Isar
Carnival
With this concert, the Isar quartet explores the different carnivals around the world, from Venice to Rio, passing through Cologne or Nice!
Conservatoire municipal Hector Berlioz (Paris 10th)
This event has ended.
About
Les Automnales in the 10th
With Les Automnales, the Hector Berlioz Conservatory inaugurates a new cultural event that will set the pace for every start of the season, from September to November. True to its mission, the conservatory asserts its role as a place of life, creation, and artistic dissemination, open to everyone.
Because culture is for sharing, all events are offered free of charge, subject to availability.
Carnival
Beyond the festive and colorful parade of current carnivals, it is a collective imagination made of dreams, mystical masks, fantastic characters, dances, and moments of communion that the Quatuor Isar wants to highlight. Carnival is a means for the artists to share classical repertoire and original arrangements for saxophone quartet with the public.
With the goal of creating a true artistic universe, this program allows the Quatuor Isar to collaborate with various artists such as costume designers, makeup artists, hairstylists, photographers, graphic designers, orchestras, artistic directors, arrangers, or composers.
This journey through carnivals presents masterpieces in original versions and introduces the repertoire and colors of the saxophone quartet.
Quatuor Isar
; Credits: Quatuor IsarThe Quatuor Isar is a saxophone quartet that formed in 2021 at the Nantes Conservatory. Antoine, Casilde, Nino, and Élie met during their S2TMD high school diploma at the Nelson Mandela High School. All four are students in the classical saxophone class, training in chamber music with their teacher Nicolas Herrouët, as well as with Ludovic Frochot or Jean-Yves Chevalier.
In 2022, the quartet was a laureate of the Carquefou International Competition. Frequently noticed during conservatory competitions, it has been scheduled for the Thursday Musical Hours and for the Angers Nantes Opera season at the Théâtre Graslin.
Since its beginnings, the Quatuor Isar has had the chance to perfect its skills with the Quatuor Ellipsos. The latter supports them throughout the year as well as during its summer academy. This academy was an opportunity for them in 2023 to perform in the great abbey church of Celles-sur-Belle alongside the internationally renowned organist Thierry Escaich.
During 2025, the four friends continued their adventure by releasing their first EP: CARNAVAL before performing as soloists with the Musique des Transmissions de Rennes.
Program:
L’Olimpiade - A. Vivaldi, arrangement by Élie Arnaud
Masques - C. Debussy, arrangement by Élie Arnaud
Introduction et Variations sur une Ronde Populaire - G. Pierné
Köln (Ciudades) - G. Lago
Saxophone Quartet - A. Romero
High Life - W. Gregory
Bacchanale - C. St-Saëns, arrangement by Martin Quéméneur
Farandole - G. Bizet, arrangement by Nicolas Herrouët
Our take on this event
Prepare to be mesmerized as a talented saxophone quartet turns the classical tradition on its head. Through bold arrangements and a flair for the theatrical, these musicians transform the festive spirit of carnival into a truly immersive soundscape.
On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the Hector Berlioz Municipal Conservatory hosts the Quatuor Isar for a performance titled Carnaval. This free concert invites music lovers to explore a fantastical realm filled with mystical masks, dance, and reimagined classical repertoire. Through original arrangements for saxophone quartet, the four musicians offer a unique interpretation of the carnival theme, turning the conservatory into a space for artistic connection. To enjoy this cultural experience, which is open to everyone, please ensure you arrive at the venue in the 10th arrondissement at least 15 minutes before the performance begins at 14:00.
As part of the Automnales series at the Hector Berlioz Municipal Conservatory, the Quatuor Isar presents Carnaval on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 14:00 to 15:00. This project reaches beyond traditional festive parades to immerse the audience in a dreamlike world inhabited by fantastical characters and mysterious symbols. The saxophone quartet, consisting of Antoine, Casilde, Nino, and Élie, highlights the sonic versatility of their instruments through original arrangements created in collaboration with various artists.
The concert program features a diverse selection of pieces, including Vivaldi's L'Olimpiade, Saint-Saëns' Bacchanale, and works by Debussy, Pierné, Lago, Romero, and Gregory. These new arrangements provide a fresh perspective on masterpieces from the classical and contemporary repertoire.
The event is offered free of charge to the public, subject to seating availability. To ensure a smooth experience, please arrive at the Hector Berlioz Municipal Conservatory, located at 6 Rue Pierre Bullet in the 10th arrondissement, 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance.
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