Karol Beffa

Karol Beffa, born on October 27th 1973 in Paris, is a french composer and pianist.
Biography.
Karol Beffa had a general education along with music studies, at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, he read history, English, philosophy (Master's at Cambridge University) and mathematics..
Beffa studied harmony, counterpoint, fugue, music theory, improvisation and composition at the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP), where he won 8 First prizes. He taught at the Sorbonne and at the Ecole Polytechnique. Since 2004, he is an Associate Professor at the Ecole Normale Supérieure...
As a composer, his catalogue consists of some hundred works, which have been performed in France, China, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, the United States and Japan by ensembles as Maîtrise de Radio France, Chœur de l’Orchestre de Paris, Cambridge Voices, Ensemble Notabu, and the leading orchestras (Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen...). His composing career is closely linked to that of the pianist
His works are to be found in the repertoire of the leading orchestras, and of musicians such as Gautier and Renaud Capuçon, Emmanuel Ceysson, Bertrand Chamayou, Karine Deshayes, Victor Julien-Laferrière, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Anneleen Lenaerts, Paul Meyer, Edgar Moreau, Akiko Suwanai, Kristjan Järvi, Paavo Järvi or the Modigliani Quartet. He has been composer in residence with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse from 2006 to 2009.
He was named a Officier des Arts et des Lettres and was Chair of Artistic Creation at the College de France (2012-2013)
Awards.
2013 : composer of the year - Victoires de la musique classique.
2016 : Grand prix lycéen des compositeurs .
2017 : Grand Prix de la musique symphonique de la SACEM
2018 : composer of the year - Victoires de la musique classique.
Discography.
As a performer.
2008 : "Improvisations", Intrada 
2008 : "Masques", Mirages, with Johan Farjot, Triton
2011 : "Songs", Ensemble Contraste, Contraste/Naïve
2013 : "Bach transcriptions", Ensemble Contraste, La dolce volta
2013 : "Alcools", "Le Bestiaire", improvisations by Karol Beffa (Apollinaire read by Bernard Métraux), Gallimard
2014 : "Miroir(s)", by Karol Beffa, Johan Farjot, Raphaël Imbert and Arnaud Thorette, Naïve 
2015 : "Libres", by Karol Beffa and Raphaël Imbert, JazzVillage/Harmonia Mundi
2015 : "Into the Dark" : "Concerto pour alto, Concerto pour harpe, Nuit obscure, Dédale", with Johan Farjot, Arnaud Thorette, Karine Deshayes, Emmanuel Ceysson, Aparte
2016 : "Tous en cœur", ensemble Contraste
2016 : "Blow Up, musique de chambre avec vents", Indesens
2017 : "Le Roi qui n'aimait pas la musique" : text by Mathieu Laine, with Patrick Bruel (reader), Renaud Capuçon (violin), Edgar Moreau (cello), Paul Meyer (clarinet) and Karol Beffa (piano), livre-disque Gallimard jeunesse
2018 : "En Blanc et Noir", Indesens : piano improvisations
2019 : "De l'autre côté du miroir", Indesens : piano improvisations
2020 : Tohu Bohu, "Blow in", Indesens : by Karol Beffa (piano), Saxo Voce
2020 : Talisman, "Destroy", Klarthe : by Karol Beffa (piano), Quatuor Renoir
As a composer.
Is written first the name of the music record, then the name of the compositions by Karol Beffa which appear on the music record.
2005 : "Inventions" : "Masques I et II", by Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Virgin Classics
2006 : "Dutilleux : Sonate – Beffa : 6 études, Voyelles" pour piano, by Lorène de Ratuld, Ame Son
2006 : "Debussy en miroir" : "Trois Études" pour piano, by Dana Ciocarlie, Triton
2006 : "Tenebrae" : "Metropolis", by Arnaud Thorette, and Johan Farjot, Accord/Universal
2008 : "Masques" : "Les ombres qui passent, Mirages, Supplique, Manhattan, Masques 1 & 2, Milonga", ensemble Contraste and Karol Beffa, Triton
2008 : "Duo Romain Leleu et Julien Le Pape" : "Subway", by Romain Leleu and Julien Le Pape, Indesens
2008 : "Après une lecture de Bach...", by Marina Chiche, Intrada
2008 : "Anneleen Lenaerts" : "Éloge de l’ombre", by Anneleen Lenaerts, Egon Records
2009 : "Bachianas et transcriptions" : "Erbarme dich", by David Bismuth, 
2010 : "Fantasy" : "Buenos Aires", Feeling Brass quintet, Aparte
2012 : "L’œil du Loup", Gallimard, with l'Orchestre de chambre de Paris (text from Daniel Pennac)
2013 : "Ground IV" : "Feux d’artifice", by the Quatuor de clarinettes Vendôme, Indesens
2014 : "Miroir(s)" : "Chinatown", "Je t'invoque", "Cathédrales", par Karol Beffa, Johan Farjot, Raphaël Imbert, Arnaud Thorette, Naive
2014 : "[R]évolution" : "Suite pour piano", by Vanessa Benelli Mosell, Decca
2014 : "Saxophone Conversations" : "Obsession", by Alicja Wolynczyk, DUX
2015 : "Trumpet concertos" : "Concerto pour trompette et cordes", by Romain Leleu (trompette), Orchestre d’Auvergne, dir. Roberto Forés Veses, Aparte
2015 : "French touch" : "Five o'clock", by the Klarthe Quintet, Klarthe
2015 : "Into the Dark" : "Concerto pour alto, Concerto pour harpe, Dark, Nuit obscure, Dédale", with Johan Farjot, Arnaud Thorette, Karine Deshayes, Emmanuel Ceysson et Karol Beffa, Aparte
2016 : "Blow Up, musique de chambre avec vents", : "Blow up, Éloge de l'ombre, Paysages d'ombres, Subway, Concerto pour trompette, Feux d'artifice", Indesens avec l'Orchestre de la Garde républicaine dir. by Sébastien Billard, Éric Aubier, Vincent Lucas, le quatuor Jean-Yves Fourmeau, l'ensemble Initium...
2017 : "Itinérances musicales" : "Concerto pour trompette", by Guy Touvron, Ligia Digital
2017 : "Pulse" : "Les Météores", by le quatuor Eclisses, Advitam Records
2017 : "Le Roi qui n'aimait pas la musique" : conte musical, text by Mathieu Laine, with Patrick Bruel (reader), Renaud Capuçon (violin), Edgar Moreau (cello), Paul Meyer (clarinet) and Karol Beffa (piano), livre-disque Gallimard jeunesse
2017 : "The World's best loved classical piano pieces" : "Erbarme dich", by Alena Cherny
2018 : "Crime" : "Fireworks" for saxophones quartet, by the Whoop Group, Sarton Records
2018 : "Les Doudous lyriques : Dans le labyrinthe" et "L'Enfant dort" for mixa choir a cappella, by le Chœur 43, OutHere
2018 : "Douze Etudes" : for piano, by Tristan Pfaff
2019 : "Les Maîtres Sorciers" : Mémorial ": for harmony orchestra, by la Musique des gardiens de la paix, dir. Gildas Harnois, Hafabra"
2019 : A Kind of Wind, "Obsession", Indesens : by Nicolas Prost (saxophone)
2020 : Tohu Bohu, "Blow in", Indesens : by Karol Beffa (piano), Saxo Voce
2020 : Musique française pour harpe, violon et violoncelle, "Soleil noir", La Ferme ! Records : by Trio Jenlis
2020 : Talisman, "Les Ruines circulaires", "Talisman", "Destroy", "Tenebrae", "Le Bateau ivre", Klarthe : by Orchestre national de France, Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, Karol Beffa (piano), Quatuor Renoir
As an Actor.
Karol Beffa has been a child actor between the ages of seven and 12, between 1981 (7 years old) and 1989 (14 years old).
Cinema.
1983 : "Femmes de personne", by Christopher Frank : Arnaud, the son of Marthe Keller and Pierre Arditi
1984 : "La Septième Cible", de Claude Pinoteau : le petit Pierre, the son of Lino Ventura
1987 : "Dernière Fugue", by Miguel Vassy
2007 : "Sur ta joue ennemie", by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade : a doctor
2013 : "Je ne suis pas mort", de Mehdi Ben Attia : professor Berthier
2019 : "Le Chant du loup", de Antonin Baudry : marine officer
Television.
1981 : "L’Enfant de cœur", by Jacques Cornet : Jean-Baptiste
1982 : "Délit de fuite", by Paul Seban : Jean, the son of Aurore Clément and Jean-Luc Bideau
1982 : "Mozart", by Marcel Bluwal : young Mozart (édition DVD)
1982 : "Paris-Saint-Lazare", by Marco Pico : one of the Belleau's son
1982 : "Le Crime de Pierre Lacaze", by Jean Delannoy
1983 : "Dans la citadelle", by Peter Kassovitz : Jérôme Barjols, the son of Claude Rich
1983 : "Merci Sylvestre", by Serge Korber : Gaspard
1984 : "Camille ma sœur" , by Olivier Descamps: Olivier
1984 : "Image interdite", by Jean-Daniel Simon : Tommy Guy
1984 : "Quidam", by Gérard Marx
1989 : "Les Millionnaires du jeudi", by Claude Grinberg
2015 : "Silex and the City"  (épisode "Les piano-sapiens"), by Jul : the piano teacher (voice)
Theatre.
1983 : "La Bonne Âme du Se-Tchouan", by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Giorgio Strehler
1984 : "Liberté à Brême", by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, directed by Jean-Louis Hourdin
1985 : "Grand-père" by Remo Forlani, directed by Michel Fagadau : the grand son
1985-86 : "La Tragédie de Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, directed by Jean-Pierre Vincent : the young Macduff
Opera.
1983 : "Let’s Make an Opera" and "Le Petit Ramoneur", by Benjamin Britten
1983 : "Le Garçon qui a grandi trop vite", by Gian Carlo Menotti