Musique pour harpe de Debussy à Bernstein Michel - MV122 -

Catherine Michel was born in Amiens where she began studying harp, piano and solfeggio with her mother. At the premature death of her mother, Pierre Jamet took care of her and welcomed her to the CNSM in Paris. In 1971 Catherine Michel joined the National Radio France Orchestra where she worked under the direction of L. Maazel, P. Paray, J. Martinon, K. Böhm, S. Celibidache, L. Bernstein, Rostropovitch. In 1978 she became the National Opera Orchestra of Paris’s first harp. She made her debut with P. Boulez and then she continued under the direction of Mr. Chung, J. Conlon, Z. Metha, C. Von Dohrnany, W. Lutoslawsky, S. Osawa, G. Priest. This new project is developed in two CDs. In the first cd is the music by Debussy, Hahn and Damase where Catherine Michel engages with various chamber or solo formations. In the second CD is the music by Gershwin, Kurt Weil and Bernstein. The 3 tracks with orchestra were recorded under the direction of Michel Legrand, who also arranged them with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra. Michel Legrand has worked with Catherine Michel for nearly two decades bringing a vast repertoire to the whole world where the harp and Catherine Michel have been protagonists. It was in fact thanks to this vast classical and popular repertoire and the twenty-year collaboration with Michel Legrand that allowed Catherine Michel to bring a large audience closer to the concerts of her beautiful instrument, the harp.