The second edition of the Haut-Var Chamber Music Festival builds on the success of its inaugural event in the summer of 2025, which laid the foundations for a project designed to stand the test of time. The invaluable support of an enthusiastic audience enables me to pursue this dream of bringing together talented musicians in this exceptional venue for a unique shared experience.
Thus, the Haut-Var Festival will once again take place in the village of Aups and will extend its reach to both the neighbouring villages and the coastal towns of the Var, with a week of free chamber music concerts open to all.
This year’s festival will bring together eight young professional musicians from renowned European orchestras and institutions (Orchestre de Paris, Badische Philharmonie Pforzheim, Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, HfMDK Frankfurt-am-Main, etc.). First and foremost, my colleagues from the Trio Kazé on piano and cello, who are joined by two violinists and a violist to enable the creation of numerous key ensembles from the repertoire: string quartet, piano trio, clarinet quintet, and piano quintet. This ensemble is complemented by an oboe and a bassoon, enabling us to develop a rich and varied programme and offer audiences a diverse range of concerts featuring numerous ensembles and musical styles.
In keeping with the Festival’s artistic identity, I am committed to showcasing and blending French and Germanic cultures, both in the programme and among the guest musicians. My musical journey has taken me from France to Germany, and in both countries I have met musicians with whom I enjoy sharing musical and personal moments. The musical programme is thus designed to take the audience on a journey between the two countries at every concert, featuring the great German and Austrian composers we all know, French composers from all eras whom we have sought to highlight, and female composers such as Mel Bonis and the contemporary French composer Camille Pépin.
We are also delighted to be continuing our partnership with the sculptor Maria de Faykod, with a Promenade Musicale through her open-air museum. This exceptional experience, set amidst nature and the artworks, was particularly appreciated by the festival audience last year.
— Tristan Roche, artistic director