Orchestre Ostinato appoints collective of five artistic directors

Paris-based training orchestra, Orchestre Ostinato, has announced the appointment of five new artistic directors. In a departure from the orchestra’s original individual leadership structure, the organisation has appointed Jean-François Heisser, Chloé Dufresne, Julien Leroy, Anne Gastinel and Pierre Fouchenneret to lead it as a collective from October 2023.

Originally named the Orchestre-atelier Ostinato (before a rebrand earlier this year) the Orchestre Ostinato offers two years of paid training to 80 instrumentalists aged between 18 and 25 aiming to develop their career as an orchestral musician. The orchestra presents 20 to 30 concerts each year, bringing its musicians to venues across France including the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre de l'Athénée and the Théâtre du Châtelet.

In a press release discussing the structural change within the organisation, the orchestra said: ‘With the prospect of innovative pedagogy and ambitious programming, the Orchestre Ostinato is seeing its artistic direction evolve and has therefore opted for a collective approach. The diversity of its members is designed to encourage a variety of repertoires and projects to best prepare young musicians for their future careers.

Founded in 1997 by composer and conductor Manuel Rosenthal, developing musicians within the Orchestre Ostinato benefit from artistic partnerships with organisations including the Académie de l'Opéra national de Paris. The orchestra is also preparing to launch partnerships with prisons in the Île-de-France region which will operate alongside its Music for a More Humane World and Bringing Music to School programmes.

Already a patron of Orchestre Ostinato, pianist and conductor Jean-François Heisser will bring to his new role his experience as musical director of the Orchestre de Chambre Nouvelle Aquitaine and founder of the Ravel Festival. He will be joined by conductors Chloé Dufresne, currently assistant to Gustavo Dudamel at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and Julien Leroy, currently principal conductor of the United Instruments of Lucilin. Cellist Anne Gastinel will also contribute to the orchestra’s artistic direction alongside violinist Pierre Fouchenneret.