Martin Gester

Defining characteristics of Martin Gester’s musicianship are a curiosity that leads him to bring to light neglected masterpieces, a constant re-examination of accepted ideas, and a special interest in music from the oral tradition and the stage. His introduction to music came through singing and vocal polyphony, followed by the organ and the harpsichord. After musical and literary studies at Strasbourg Conservatoire and University, Gester chose to divide his time between conducting, research, keyboard performance and teaching. In 1990 he founded Le Parlement de Musique, an ensemble specialising in the baroque and classical repertoire, which soon developed an international reputation. He has conducted Le Parlement on some forty recordings and has appeared at prestigious venues on four continents. Among the other ensembles he has conducted are the New York Collegium, Collegium Vocale Gent, La Chapelle Royale, Nederlandse Bach- vereniging, the Capella antigua de Curitiba as well as various symphony orches- tras. Since 1998 Gester has enjoyed a special collaboration with Arte dei Suona- tori, focusing on the concerto of the baroque era and more recently also vocal music of the period (cantatas and oratorios by Scarlatti, Handel, Bach and Graup- ner) as well as pre-classical works.
Equally at home conducting Monteverdi’s Vespers and Mendelssohn’s sympho- nies, Gester is keen to bridge the traditional divide between the so-called ancient and modern schools. In addition, he continues to appear as an instrumentalist – as a solo organist or as a chamber musician playing the harpsichord and fortepiano. Martin Gester teaches at the Strasbourg Conservatoire and Académie Supérieure de Musique, and is the founder of Génération Baroque, an academy for young singers and instrumentalists who are starting out on a professional career.