Jazz Department

Bojan Zulfikarpasic is a Franco-Serbian pianist with an international career. Trained in Belgrade and later in the United States with Clare Fischer, he settled in France in 1988 and studied at the CIM (Centre d’Information Musicale). Winner of the 1st prize for soloist at the La Défense Competition in 1990, he joined Henri Texier, worked with Michel Portal, and developed a unique career combining jazz, Balkan music, and improvisation. He performs at major international festivals (Marciac, Montreal, North Sea Jazz, etc.) and collaborates with renowned artists such as Scott Colley and Nasheet Waits.

Stéphane Audard is a guitarist, arranger, teacher, and musicologist. He studied music at the conservatory of Chambéry. He has recorded with notable artists such as Michel Legrand, Ludovic de Preissac, and others. He writes arrangements for various big bands and orchestras. He teaches at the CRR (Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional) of Paris and coordinates the jazz department at the conservatory in the 11th arrondissement. He earned his doctorate in musicology in 2024, after defending his thesis on the history of jazz education. Qualified as a lecturer, he also teaches at Université de La Sorbonne and Paris Cité University, and is an associate researcher at IReMus (Institut de Recherche en Musicologie).

Yaron Herman is a Franco-Israeli pianist and composer renowned for his innovative approach, blending jazz, classical music, and contemporary sounds. From an early age, he developed a personal style combining virtuosity, freedom, and melodic sensibility. Awarded the Victoire du Jazz in 2008 and the Adami Jazz Talent prize, he has chaired the piano jury at the Montreux Jazz Festival and served as a mentor at the Montreux Jazz Academy. He performs on some of the largest stages in Europe, the United States, and Asia.

Joe Sanders, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an American double bassist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. Trained at the Brubeck Institute and the Thelonious Monk Institute, he has become one of the most sought-after bassists of his generation. He has collaborated with major figures in contemporary jazz such as Gerald Clayton, Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, Kendrick Scott, and Ben Wendel. As a bandleader, he has released three albums: Introducing Joe Sanders (2011), Humanity (2017), and Parallels (2024). Based in the south of France since 2014, he continues to perform on international stages while developing his personal projects.

Baptiste Herbin is a saxophonist who has released four albums under his own name: Brother Stoon in 2010 with André Ceccarelli, who helped propel him to the top, Interférences in 2014, and Dreams and Connections in 2017. He was at the Victoires du Jazz in 2013 thanks to his first album, “Brother Stoon,” winner of the Django Reinhardt Prize, and was elected musician of the year 2019 by the jazz academy. He has participated in around fifty recordings. He performs in Europe and around the world and plays with some of the greatest musicians. Herbin is also a teacher and gives numerous masterclasses around the world.

David Linx, a key figure in European vocal jazz, has recorded over 25 albums as a bandleader or co-leader, while collaborating with major artists such as Toots Thielemans, Paolo Fresu, Ivan Lins, Maria João, Natalie Dessay, and Michel Portal. His landmark project A Lover’s Question, with James Baldwin, brought him international recognition. Since 1992, his duo with pianist Diederik Wissels has been praised for reinventing contemporary vocal jazz. A respected educator, he has been teaching at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels since 1995 and frequently lectures at major European institutions.

Claudia Solal is a singer, songwriter, and improviser with a unique and adventurous voice, active for over 25 years on major French and international stages. At the intersection of composition and improvisation, she has developed a distinctive vocal language, which she describes as “offshore songs.” Her numerous projects (with Benjamin Moussay, Didier Petit, Benoît Delbecq, etc.) have been highly praised by critics (Télérama, Choc Jazzmag, Grand Prix of the Charles Cros Academy).
As a committed educator, she teaches voice at the PSPBB.

Vincent Courtois is former student of the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris in Geneviève Teulières’ class, Vincent Courtois retains from his classical training the technique, precision, and mastery of the instrument. He also studied with Xavier Gagnepain, Roland Pidoux, and Frédéric Lodéon. His curiosity and eclecticism led him early on to play in various musical groups with very different styles, from Rita Mitsouko to Christian Escoudé, including Michel Petrucciani and Michel Portal. For over fifteen years, Vincent Courtois has led a now-essential trio with saxophonists Robin Fincker and Daniel Erdmann. Thanks to the Compagnie de l’Imprévu, he created the Cello Workshops in 2021 with Noémi Boutin and Eric-Maria Couturier, and since 2024 has taught improvisation at the CNSM in Lyon.

Gautier Garrigue is a drummer, guitarist, and composer born in 1987 in the south of France. A graduate of the Conservatory in 2002, he quickly made a name for himself on the jazz scene, collaborating with prestigious artists such as Henri Texier, Michel Portal, Seamus Blake, Christian Scott, Émile Parisien, Baptiste Trotignon, Kyle Eastwood, and Enrico Pieranunzi. He is co-leader of the group Flash Pig, which won the Jazz Academy’s Album of the Year award in 2024. His debut album as a leader, La Traversée, released in autumn 2024, received unanimous critical acclaim.
Described by Jazz Magazine as one of the most sensitive and refined drummers on today’s scene, he was a finalist in 2025 in the “Revelation of the Year” category at the Victoires du Jazz, and the following year he was awarded the prestigious Django Reinhardt Prize from the Jazz Academy, which honors the musician of the year.

Romain Pilon is a French guitarist and composer recognized on the international jazz scene. Described by Jazzwise as “a brilliant improviser,” he has developed a distinctive musical voice combining harmonic sophistication, deep listening, and an open approach to musical interaction. After studying at the conservatory, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. Upon graduating, he was selected to represent the guitar department, performing as an opening act for Pat Metheny. He then continued his journey in New York, performing regularly in jazz clubs before settling in Paris in 2004.As a leader and co-leader, he has released several critically acclaimed projects featuring musicians such as Ben Wendel, Walter Smith III, Jeff Ballard, and Seamus Blake. He performs regularly in Japan and throughout Europe. Alongside his performing career, he has developed an important teaching activity focused on listening, sound, and the individuality of each musician.

Émile Parisien is a French jazz saxophonist. Trained in Marciac and then at the Conservatoire of Toulouse, he moved to Paris in 2000 and founded his own quartet in 2004 with Julien Touéry, Ivan Gélugne, and Sylvain Darrifourcq. His playing, at the crossroads of jazz and contemporary music, has led him to collaborate with major figures such as Michel Portal, Vincent Peirani, and Joachim Kühn. Awarded numerous prizes (including the Django Reinhardt in 2012 and Victoires du Jazz in 2014), he has established himself as an essential figure in European jazz.