Francis Dhomont - Perpetuum mobile

Francis Dhomont

Francis Dhomont studied under Ginette Waldmeier, Charles Koechlin and Nadia Boulanger. In the late 40s, in Paris (France), he intuitively discovered with magnetic wire what Pierre Schaeffer would later call “musique concrète” and consequently conducted solitary experiments with the musical possibilities of sound recording. Later, leaving behind instrumental writing, he dedicated himself exclusively to electroacoustic composition. An ardent proponent of acousmatics, his work (since 1963) is comprised exclusively of works for fixed media bearing witness to his continued interest in morphological interplay and ambiguities between sound and the images it may create. The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec has awarded him a prestigious carreer grant. In 1999, he was awarded five first prizes for four of his recent works at international competition (Brazil, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic). In 1997, as the winner of the Canada Council for the Arts’ Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award, he was also supported by the DAAD for a residence in Berlin (Germany). Five-time winner at the Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition (France) — the Magisterium Prize in 1988 — and 2nd Prize at Prix Ars Electronica 1992 (Linz, Austria), he has received numerous other awards. He is the editor of special issues published by Musiques & Recherches (Belgium) and of Électroacoustique Québec: l’essor (Québec Electroacoustics: The Expansion) — for Circuit (Montréal). Musical coeditor of the Dictionnaire des arts médiatiques (published by UQAM), he is also lecturer and has produced many radio programs for Radio-Canada and Radio-France. In 1978-2004, he has divided his time between France and Québec, where he has taught at the Université de Montréal from 1980 to ’96. Since the fall of 2004 he lives in Avignon (France) and regularly presents his works in France and abroad. Great traveller, he participates in several juries. He is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC, 1989) and a Founding Member (1986) and Honorary Member (1989) of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community (CEC). In October 2007, Université de Montréal awarded him a honoris causa doctorate. He is the president of the collective Les Acousmonautes (Marseille, France) — until its dissolution in 2016 — and “Ehrenpatron” (honour patron) of the organization Klang Projekte Weimar (Germany). He is awarded the Qwartz Pierre-Schaeffer 2012 (Paris, France), Baiocco d’oro 2012 (Perugia, Italia), and the Grand prize of the Giga-Hertz-Preis 2013 (Karlsruhe, Germany). In November 2014 he becomes an Honorary Member of the International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music (ICEM). In 2017 he becomes the Honorary President of the Festival Klang! (Montpellier, France). He now focuses on composition and theory.