Project « In My Room »

This project « In My Room » (referencing Emily Dickinson) brings together two artists: Sonia Lardy (Soprano) and Quentin Meurisse (pianist), who you have already met at the Salon Bugrane in previous seasons, as part of International Women’s Day celebrations. It explores the world of three female composers and a poetess, paying homage to particularly brilliant creators who have become famous due to their great talent.

The concert offers an intimate and emotional musical experience, allowing listeners to discover the richness and diversity of classical music composed by three women: an American, an Englishwoman, and a Belgian!

Amy BEACH (1867-1944)

American composer and pianist, Amy Beach left an impressive musical legacy and influenced many musicians of her generation. A child prodigy, she sang forty songs accurately at the age of one and composed piano waltzes by the age of four. After her public debut as a pianist in 1883, she quickly gained notoriety for her compositions and performances. She was the first American female composer to write a symphony, the « Gaelic Symphony, » performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896. She wrote over 300 works, including piano music, chamber music compositions, choral works, and an opera. After her husband’s death in 1910, she resumed her concerts, conducting an extensive tour in Europe.

Rebecca CLARKE (1886-1979)

British composer and violist Rebecca Clarke is best known for her chamber music works featuring the viola. She is considered one of the most important composers in the United Kingdom during the interwar period. Her work temporarily fell into obscurity after she stopped composing, but since her 90th birthday in 1976, there has been a significant resurgence of interest in her music. The Rebecca Clarke Society was founded in September 2001 to promote the performance and publication of her music.

Fanny LIBERT (born 2000)

Fanny Libert is a young Belgian composer who combines roles as a performer of written and oral music, improviser, and composer. Trained at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Brussels (piano with Boyan Vodenitcharov, composition at the Royal Conservatory of Mons with Claude Ledoux), she regularly participates in workshops and courses with musicians such as Wim Henderickx and Joëlle Léandre. Forming special bonds with performers of her generation, she creates various projects, including instrumental ensembles, certain forms of musical theater, and mixed music. In 2023, she won the André Souris Prize awarded by the Forum de la Création Musicale and Sabam for Culture. She has delved into Emily Dickinson’s poems and set some to music.

Emily DICKINSON (1830-1886)

Emily Dickinson, born in Amherst, Massachusetts, was an American poet renowned for her unique and enigmatic style. Coming from a wealthy family, she lived an introverted and reclusive life, often considered eccentric by her neighbors. She wrote nearly 1,800 poems, but fewer than a dozen were published during her lifetime. Her poems are known for their short lines, absence of titles, and frequent use of slant rhyme and unconventional punctuation. Many of her works deal with themes of death and immortality. After her death, her sister Lavinia discovered a cache of poems, and her first posthumous collection was published in 1890.

Sonia LARDY (soprano)

Agenda 2025

sonialardy.com/agenda/

Sonia LARDY is a Franco-Romanian soprano. After beginning her musical journey with the study of the violin, guitar, and piano, she decided to dedicate herself to singing. She trained at the Royal Conservatory of Mons in the class of Thierry Migliorini and Axel Everaert, where she earned two master’s degrees, one in specialization and the other in pedagogy.

During this period, Sonia participated in several stage productions with Camera Lirica in the operetta repertoire, as well as through the MM Academy, an academy for young singers founded by La Monnaie. She also joined the choirs of the Verbier Festival during the summer of 2016. More recently, she sang Papagena and Zweite Knabe in Die Zauberflöte with the Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar in August 2021.

Sonia discovered a true passion for chamber music during her studies and developed a particular interest in melody. Since 2019, she has formed a duo with pianist Julien Lejeune, participating with him in the 2022-2023 season of the Udo Reinemann Masterclasses (URIM) at La Monnaie in Brussels.

Her curiosity for new music led her to participate in the creation of works by the composition class of Claude Ledoux. She more recently took part in the recording of a CD featuring pieces by young Belgian composer Apolline Jesupret in collaboration with the Ensemble Hopper.

Sonia has also deepened her understanding of theater under the guidance of Christophe Vander at Art-T Brussels and Christine Hadida at Way To Stage. She continues to train with mezzo-soprano Marie-Laure Coenjarts.

Quentin Meurisse ( pianiste )

Quentin Meurisse is a talented pianist born in Paris in 1990. He studied piano with Eliane Reyes and Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden. Quentin is known for his captivating performances and his commitment to contemporary music. He is a member of the Trio Erämaa, an ensemble specializing in contemporary and historically informed music, which has performed at the Salon Bugrane.

Quentin Meurisse has also collaborated with various ensembles and musicians and is recognized for his ability to interpret a wide range of repertoires, from classical to contemporary music. His work with Trio Erämaa has allowed him to perform at numerous prestigious festivals and venues in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Japan.