Les Nocturnes du piano
- Festival -

7 Recitals
Samson François International Piano Competition
La Rencontre des grands Amateurs

* Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur *
Cagnes-sur-Mer

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2024 Poster

Welcome to all !

Our third edition was once again an opportunity for the Côte d'Azur public to discover some real nuggets in six recitals devoted to young piano talent, and to meet up with Philippe Bianconi, the immense pianist from Nice and above all the international pianist, in the breathtaking setting of the Côte d'Azur racecourse.

All were able to appreciate the talent of Jean-Baptiste DOULCET in his high-flying improvisations, as well as 16-year-old prodigy Ryan WANG, who mesmerized the audience with his interpretation of works by Chopin and Liszt. We also had Marie-Ange NGUCI, absolutely remarkable for her musical intelligence and high maturity. As for Rachel BREEN, she took us, at the tender age of 24, into a fascinating universe with her Goldberg variations and Beethoven's Op 111, mythical works of the piano repertoire. Marcel TADOKORO was a real revelation for the audience, who gave him a standing ovation for 15 minutes... This young Franco-Japanese musician offered us Rameau, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, but also Trenet and Music box...... a treat for the heart!
To round off the festival, Jorge Gonzalez performed an evening of music from his native Cuba. Itwas a magnificent way to end this 2024 edition, a veritable firework display of talent, joy and shared happiness.

We are actively preparing the2025 edition, which will take place from June 27 to July 6, and we promise you unforgettable moments in the magical setting of the Côte d'Azur racecourse.
See you soon.

Get ready to experience some great moments, always in the magnificent setting of the Côte d'Azur racecourse!

Christine GASTAUD - Pianist, piano teacher at the Conservatoire National de Région de Nice, Creator and Artistic Director of the festival "Les Nocturnes du Piano" and President of the association "Le Piano en Liberté".

From their very first edition in July 2022, the Nocturnes du Piano have been a tremendous success, arousing the enthusiasm of audiences and guest artists alike. From the outset, Christine Gastaud's gamble was won in the face of initial doubts and misgivings about the unusual venue for classical music concerts.
But many were surprised to discover that the Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur in Cagnes-sur-Mer not only possessed unique qualities, but also surprisingly good acoustics for hosting piano recitals.

The second edition in 2023 brilliantly confirmed this success.
Of course, Christine Gastaud succeeded in seducing music lovers with her demanding, top-quality programming, and all the young artists invited to the first two festivals were exceptional.

I'm very proud to be the patron of such an event, which is well on the way to becoming one of the major musical events on the Côte d'Azur.

The line-up for the Nocturnes du Piano 2024 promises new dreamlike moments with admirable young artists whom the public will be delighted to discover or rediscover.
In parallel with the Nocturnes, the Samson François International Competition continues to develop, enabling the discovery of tomorrow's young pianists ...

In the centenary year of the birth of Samson François, one of the greatest French pianists of the 20th century, this competition takes on a highly symbolic dimension.

Philippe BIANCONI - International pianist, Sponsor of the festival " Les Nocturnes du piano ".

Our racecourse is a jewel not only because, as the saying goes, " it's the most beautiful in the world ", but also because of its capacity to host and embellish any event that takes place there.
The Festival Les Nocturnes du Piano, which runs from June 28 to July 7, is all about beauty.
The town of Cagnes-sur-Mer is grateful to Christine Gastaud and the association Le Piano en Liberté, as well as to the Association des Courses de la Côte d'Azur, for having chosen the Hippodrome. And our city can be proud to host these "Nocturnes" in this unusual setting for such a show.
For it is the only racecourse in the world to host classical music concerts.

We know that such an undertaking is difficult. We can only express our admiration and congratulations for having succeeded in fulfilling your ambition in just 3 years.
But better still, you have opted, with the help of Philippe Bianconi, to promote the promise of youth, thus paying tribute to the ever-necessary renewal of expressions of an age-old art.
This year, as part of the recitals and competition accompanying the "Nocturnes", young people from all over the world will be present.
The Town of Cagnes-sur-Mer, aware that the values of art and culture are essential, is delighted, thanks you and assures you of its unfailing support.

Louis NÈGRE - Mayor of Cagnes-sur-Mer
Delegate President of the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolis

When Christine Gastaud approached me with the idea of organizing a piano festival on the Cagnes-sur-Mer racecourse, I had long had the idea of staging a musical event on the site, and could only agree to accompany her in her undertaking.
That was 3 years ago.

The first two editions were made possible by a number of miracles:

First and foremost, that the local authorities immediately agreed to provide the financial support essential to the completion of the project. Thank you to the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer and to Louis Nègre, thank you to the Conseil Départemental and to Presidents Charles Ange Ginésy and Eric Ciotti, thank you to the Région and to President Renaud Muselier, as well as to the many companies and personalities who have given Christine Gastaud and the Association "Le Piano en Liberté" the means to realize their ambition.
The second miracle was the discovery of the acoustic quality of a venue that anyone would have thought atypical or even "improbable". But Christine had seen or rather "heard" right, having been immediately convinced of the quality of the place.
The third is Christine's bulimic energy: in addition to the 6 evening recitals, she organized days of competitions which, from the very first year, met with the success of worldwide participation.

Last but not least, we can't fail to mention the beauty of the site when, at nightfall, only the artist and his piano emerge, as if resting on the nearby Mediterranean. In the warm summer nights, there's all the freshness of the art of these young talents, whose blossoming is the vocation of this festival.

With this third edition, Les Nocturnes du Piano are approaching the threshold of maturity. There's no longer any doubt that this festival is destined to become a major musical event. The 162 candidates of 43 different nationalities competing this year in the Artist and Young Artist categories of the Samson François 2024 International Piano Competition are an edifying illustration of this.

François FORCIOLI-CONTI - President of the Hippodrome de la Côte d'Azur - Cagnes-sur-Mer.

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