Patrick DELABRE
titular organist emeritus
In his early childhood Patrick Delabre discovered his passion for music, and he learned to play keyboard instruments and choir singing. Then he studied organ and composition at the National Conservatory of Lille where he received an introduction to choir conducting.
At the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique of Paris he continued his studies in harmony, counterpoint, fugue and organ, winning four prizes.
In 1976 he was appointed assistant organist at Chartres cathedral with Philippe Lefebvre as main organist ; he took over from him in 1986 as head organist and will serve until his retirement in September 2022.
Patrick Delabre has won the international improvisation competition in Lyon, and he was also a finalist at Chartres’ international improvisation competition.
His musical activities grow through the organ of the cathedral teaching and giving concerts as well as educational presentations. The local authorities of Chartres and Lucé have asked him to take in charge their organ and composition classes from autumn 2003 on.
He is giving recitals, playing on famous organs e.g. in St Maximin, Poitiers, St Ouen in Rouen ; in Paris, St Sulpice, St Eustache and Notre-Dame.
Patrick Delabre has travelled a lot for concerts abroad. His recitals in Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, USA, Canada and Japan mean a very enriching aesthetic expe-rience to him.
He is also jury member in several international competitions (Chartres, Hamburg, St Blasien).
In Chartres cathedral, he has recorded a CD dedicated to works of J.S. Bach and C. Franck.
The record company Forlane entrusted him with a composition for children’s choir and instruments. These fifteen arrangements of popular traditional songs have been performed by the National Music School Children’s Choir of Chartres in June 2002.
Laurent BOUIS
assistant organist
Laurent Bouis was born on 1967.
After crowned with the musical baccalaureate studies, he prepares a musicology diploma at the University of Sorbonne in Paris.
Then, he enters the Schola Cantorum of Paris in the class of André Fleury, where he successively gets the virtuosity diploma, with distinction, and the concert diploma. He also studies composition.
He later works at the “Conservatoire national de Région” of Lille in the classes of Jean Boyer and Aude Heurtematte.
In 1987, Laurent Bouis was unanimously prize-winner with jury congratulations of the U.F.A.M. international organ competition, Paris.
After being organist of the Cavaillé-Coll organ at the Cathedral of Orleans, he was named at the age of 24 years assistant organist of the Chartres Cathedral.
He performs in Europe, South America, USA.