Draped in light, we touch…

2 flutists, including 1 piccoloist, dressed in micro-ties; 6, or three times two, disheveled saxophonists of different sizes; 1 sousaphonist and his tie; 1 relentless drummer; 3 trombonists, including one bass trombonist, with their mutes; 3 trumpet, fluegelhorn, mellophone, and euphonium players, depending on their moods; 1 guitarist and his omnipotent pedals.

…But in the shadows, we see…

Geniuses of lights and sound, masters of the cajon, rendering the orchestra’s destiny in decibels and beats; 1 graphic designer, reflecting as she traces the group’s near future in lines on paper; 1 administration/programming/production department – that is, a bunch of people united to make croissants rain at breakfast.

The orchestra is a collective. All our operations—in terms of people and projects alike—are run using a horizontal model.

The Music

Made entirely of original compositions by members of the ensemble, our repertoire is eclectic. It blends themes equal parts crystalline, twisted and clever. Our music is all kinds of jazz, it’s pop in three-four time, it’s nonsense to dance to, it’s tight big band-style compositions. Every proposal we make is an overture to the wild winds of improvisation.

Since day one, we have embraced a whimsical type of directed collective improvisation, also called sound painting. Developed collectively, and based on Walter Thompson’s[1] research, this gestural language allows each musician to exit the ranks and momentarily guide the orchestra. In the moment they split from the group, they may choose to twist open the bars of a verse and let the unknown rush in, or surreptitiously close the gates on a bygone musical path. Even as these interventions allow the repertoire to evolve, they inspire spur-of-the-moment orchestral invention that is free and spontaneous, ever-shifting and always new.

[1] Walter Thompson is an American musician who has worked for the past thirty years to develop a language of improvisation entirely based on gestures, called sound painting. As a system that is simple, expansive, and cohesive, sound painting attracts musicians and dancers alike. To learn more, check out: http://www.soundpainting.com/walter-thompson/

Members of Surnatural Orchestra

There are many…

Currently playing with the orchestra

Léa Ciechelski (flutes, alto & soprano saxes), Clea Torales (flute, alto sax), Martin Daguerre (alto & sopranino saxes, guitar), Camille Secheppet (alto sax, clarinet), Jeannot Salvatori (alto & baritone saxes), Guillaume Christophel (tenor sax, clarinet), Nicolas Stephan (tenor sax), Fabrice Theuillon (alto & baritone saxes), Guillaume Dutrieux (trumpet, fluegelhorn, piccolo), Julien Rousseau (trumpet, fluegelhorn, euphonium), François Roche-Juarez (trombone, guitar), Hanno Baumfelder (trombone), Bertrand Landhauser (trombone, keyboards), Fabien Debellefontaine (sousaphone), Ianik Tallet (drums), Zak Cammoun, Rose Bruneau, Manu Martin, François-Xavier Delaby & Geoffrey Durcak (sound engineers), Anne Palomeres & Jacques-Benoît Dardant (lighting directors), Jérôme Bertin (stage manager), Nicolas Legendre (circus technical direction), Christine Nissim (administration), Thomas Gold (production), Roselyne Burger (circus touring manager), Caroline Pageaud (graphic design)

Past, present, and occasional members (it’s a long story!)

Arthur Alard (percussions), Benoît Alziary (vibraphone, artistic director), Jérôme Ballero (sousaphone), Antoine Berjeaut (trumpet, fluegelhorn), Antoine Berland (keyboards), Boris Boublil (keyboards, guitar), Baptiste Bouquin (alto sax, clarinet), Philippe Bouttier (stage manager), Sébastien Brun (drums), Solenne Capmas (costume designer), Morgane Carnet (baritone sax, tenor), Manu Céalis (lighting director), Catherine Cristofari (communication), Marielle Chatain (baritone sax, FX), Marc Chonier (press agent), Damien Christéa (lighting), Philippe Cortez (trombone), Julien Couzy (production, touring organiser), Pierre Déaux (trombone), Guillaume De la Villéon (sound engineer), Cristobal Diaz (percussions), Naïé Dutrieux (flute), Jean-Philippe Feiss (cello), Robin Fincker (tenor sax, clarinet), Nicolas Flesch (actor), Fidel Fourneyron (tuba, trombone), Alain Français (sound engineer), Laurent Géhant (sousaphone), Benoît Gilg (sound engineer), Théo Girard (doublebass), Giovanni Hector (trombone), Sylvaine Hélary (flute), Yann Jankielewicz (trombone), Arnaud Laprêt (percussions), Shan Lefrant (sousaphone), Izidor Leitinger (trumpet), Sylvain Lemêtre (percussions), Agnès Lété (administration), Gabriel Levasseur (trumpet), Camille Lévêque (touring manager), Antonin Leymarie (drums), Hansen Limtung (alto sax), Guillaume Magne (guitar), Gaspard Manesse (trumpet), Hugues Mayot (tenor sax), Sylvain Mazens (trombone), Fanny Ménegoz (flutes), Pierre Millet (trumpet), Jean-Pascal Molina (drums), Stéphane Montigny (trombone), Julien Omé (guitar), Anne Palomeres (dance), Csaba Palotaï (guitar), Françoise Pelherbe (flute), Emmanuel Penfeunteun (drums), Brice Perda (sousaphone), Katia Petrowick (dance, choreographer), Brice Pichard (trumpet), Yann Priest (trumpet), Raphaël Quenehen (alto sax), Timothée Quost (trumpet), Jean-François Riffaut (guitar, keyboards), Marie-Edith Roussillon (production/touring manager), Elizabeth Saint-Jalmes (set designer), Jérôme Sautton (flute), Camille Sauvage (graphic design), Thomas Sisqueille (drums, percussions), Sylvain Tamalet (baritone sax), Jérôme Tisserand (touring manager), Maxence Tual (actor), Corentin Vigot (sound engineer), Claire Van Waerbeke (flute) & Judith Wekstein (bass trombone)…