“Tout for the music”, sang France Gall… A choir that fits perfectly with Toulouse, declared a City of Music by UNESCO in October 2023. A prestigious label that not only exists forever, but also has the virtue of highlighting a little-known image of Toulouse. “Through this label, the entire musical tradition of Toulouse and the entire dynamism of our Toulouse talents are rewarded. Notes with pride Jean-Luc Moudenc. Toulouse is the city of rugby, aviation, but also music…” In the city of Nougaro, music is not an empty word. And the number of Toulouse residents famous in this art dwarfs Bordeaux and Rennes, although they are known for their dynamic music scene. From the unmistakable Claude Nougaro to the lively duo Bigflo and Oli, including Zebda, Cats on Trees, Bertrand Chamayou, Thibaut Garcia and the young Juliette Mey – the Pink City offered and still offers a sparkling musical cocktail. Since the founding of the Victoires de la Musique in 1988, musicians and singers from Toulouse have brought Toulouse to the top step of the podium by winning 29 trophies.
For the cultural deputy of the mayor of Toulouse, Francis Grass, this dissemination is the fruit of the tradition of the troubadours, who wrote poems, satires and ballads in the Langue d’oc with musical accompaniment. “Nougaro is a direct descendant of the Occitan troubadours,” assures Claude Sicre. The singer of the Fabulous Trobadors, a “patois rap” duo that once enlivened the cultural life of his neighborhood, shared with Nougaro a passion for Brazil. “His music is mixed, he was a pioneer of world music”, he said. Toulouse’s music scene shares this cultural diversity, from “classic” bel canto to tango, including all the popular refrains heard on the radio. This is evidenced by the rich program of the “Nougaro Year”, which began in March in the hall of the Sept-Deniers district with two remarkable concerts with classical violinists and free jazz brass instruments at the initiative of Joël Saurin. For his part, the former bassist of the group Zebda wanted to revisit a forgotten Nougaro album, soul sister (1971). The Toulouse musician admits that he did it particularly “wanted to put an end to the idea that French as a literary language is not suitable for singing”.
“Start Bridges”
“Toulouse is a hub with a large community of musicians”, marvels Fabien Lhérisson. Arriving in Borderouge last year to direct both the Metronum and Rio Loco music festivals, the fifty-year-old was impressed by the musical richness of Toulouse. “There are many concerts and festivals in very different genres”, notes the man who long ran Le Plan, a former rock temple in Essonne, for which he won the famous label Scène de musiques contemporains (Smac). His mission at Metronum? The same recognition from the Ministry of Culture will be given to entities that carry out an artistic and cultural project of general interest in the field of current music, offering the triptych of concert programs, broadcasting and artist support. “Toulouse is the only major metropolis in France that does not have a Smac, although we have a pool of musicians. notes Francis Grass, wanting to be optimistic. It shouldn’t take long…” Meanwhile, Fabien Lhérisson is not afraid of it “To build bridges” goes beyond rock by also welcoming world music and jazz to Borderouge. Michel Brun’s baroque musicians will even come and play Bach in this temple of amplified music.
Rock, rap or electronic music are by no means the bad cousins of music in Toulouse. Groups, singers and DJs perform in several private rooms, such as the legendary Bikini. Now located in Ramonville, this private space known and appreciated by rock fans has just celebrated its 40th anniversary. Many famous artists made their debut there, such as Rita Mitsouko, Mano Negra or Muse and Coldplay. There is also Connexion Live on Rue Gabriel-Péri, which is currently being renovated after a change of ownership. As well as the new modular space with 400 to 700 seats opening in September at Cartoucherie. Initiated by Gilles Jumaire, former boss of Bleu Citron, which produces most of the Bikini concerts, this project is presented as a complement to the neighboring Zénith (with 9,000 seats), inaugurated in 1999. Presented as the Toulouse equivalent of L’Olympia, it is called La Cabane, this private space is intended to host concerts and comedy shows, in the same alcove as the amphitheater of the Barrière casino on the Île du Ramier (1,200 seats).
“The music conservatory, one of the best in France”
“Toulouse’s greatest asset is its music conservatory, one of the best in France. He is one of those who have admitted the most students to the higher national music conservatories.”, notes mandolinist Julien Martineau, artistic director of the Toulouse Festival. The musician, who is developing an international career as a soloist in addition to his podium with the Orchester national du Capitole, has been teaching his instrument at the school in Toulouse since 2005. He did not fail to include four young classical music prodigies from Toulouse in the program of the 3e edition of its summer festival together with headliners such as Ibrahim Maalouf and Kyle Eastwood.
Michel Brun, who taught transverse flute and baroque chamber music at the Toulouse Conservatory, is also of this opinion. And the musician quotes Marc Bleuse, the former director who shaped the Toulouse institution between 1992 and 2005. “He had a classical and elite vision of music, but he knew how to make the conservatory an extraordinary tool.” recognizes Michel Brun. Under his leadership, the school, which had just left Rue Labéda to move to the site of the former Larrey military hospital, rose to the top nationally, training more than a hundred musicians and dancers each year.
Since his arrival in 2021, the new director, Michel Crosset, has sought to undermine the image of the establishment, which is too elitist for his tastes, by increasing traffic and concerts at Saint-Pierre-des-Cuisines. He does not fail to establish Bigflo and Oli, former students of the school, as “Ambassador” of the winter garden. “The Toulouse Conservatory deserves the status of a national institution, like that of Lyon.”, believes Jean-Christophe Sellin. The former deputy (LFI) of Pierre Cohen also welcomes the action of the Music’Halle association, which offers rock and contemporary music lessons with professional musicians in the former Job paper factory in the Starmers district. On the other hand, he points out the lack of rehearsal rooms for amateur or professional groups. “We should increase the number of theaters like the Metronum in the outskirts. »
The construction of a new concert hall is necessary
Paradoxically, the classical music that has given the Pink City great fame seems to be the least fortunate. The Orchester national du Capitole, which undertakes numerous tours in France and internationally, is undoubtedly no stranger to obtaining the UNESCO “City of Music” label. Nevertheless: Jean-Luc Moudenc’s promise to Tugan Sokhiev to offer a new one “Auditorium” The orchestra has been missing since the Ministry of Justice announced that the former Saint-Michel prison was finally no longer for sale. Shortly before the end of the year, the Russian conductor, who still has supporters in the city and among the musicians, fell out with the mayor about terminating his contract because of the war in Ukraine. Francis Grass would like to believe that the very young Finnish chef chosen as his successor can make this episode forgotten. Tarmo Peltokoski is expected to take up his position as music director of the National Capitol Orchestra in September. “The first contact with the orchestra was even more enthusiastic than with Tugan Sokhiev,” assures the chosen one. However, Jean-Luc Moudenc’s “Minister of Culture” recognizes that the Halle aux Grains is no longer at the orchestra’s level acoustically. The construction of a new concert hall is necessary. The redefinition of the project no longer concerns just one auditorium: the new building will not be exclusively reserved for the Capitol Orchestra. The community is looking for land to build one “City of Music”. But also credits for a project “More modest than Jean Nouvel’s new Philharmonie de Paris” (more than 300 million euros). “We can create something simple, functional and aesthetic without pretending to create an expensive work of art.” adds Francis Grass, who hopes that the search for land will be a quick success. So that the people of Toulouse can do it “swing their heads like real mechanics” Listen to the symphony orchestra in a room with perfect acoustics… §
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