Biography

Appointed successively soloist of the Orchestra of Lyon National Opera under John Eliot Gardiner and Kent Nagano conducting (1987-1989) and then violin soloist of Lyon National Orchestra under Emmanuel Krivine conducting (1989-1991), since 1992 Francis Duroy develops a career as a concert artist which takes him to all continents.

From the largest halls in Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, etc.) to Carnegie Hall in New York, via the Rudolfinum in Prague (Czech Philharmonic), the Ljubljana Festival (Slovenia), the Ohrid Summer Festival (Macedonia), Italy, the United States, Norway, Korea, France…Francis Duroy is the guest of many festivals and prestigious halls and performs as a soloist with many orchestras around the world: Philharmonic orchestras of Dnipropetrovsk, kyiv (Ukraine), Baden Baden…Symphony Orchestras of Pohang (Korea), Mexico City, San Luis Potosi and Aguascalientes (Mexico), Ribeirão Preto (Brazil), Orchestra Ico Magna Grecia (Italy), State Orchestra of Romania, Orchestra of the Lyon National Opera, Avignon Provence Lyric National Orchestra…

He collaborates with many composers including Michaël Lévinas, Philippe Leroux, Wolfgang Motz and Nicolas Vérin who dedicated him the piece “Chassés croisés II” for violin and piano.

Alongside his activity as a concert performer, Francis Duroy carries out an important educational activity. He has been professor at the National Conservatory – CRR in Lyon from 1991 to 2022.

He is invited to give master classes in Asia (Japan and Korea) and in Europe and he is a jury of many international competitions.

Francis Duroy has been the founder and artistic director of Musicalta since its creation in 1993.

Francis Duroy studied the violin at the National Conservatory CRR of Saint-Maur, continued in Brussels with Maurice Raskin, then at the CNSMD in Lyon with Véda Reynolds, at the Banff Center School of Fine Arts (Canada) and perfected his skills with Zoltan Szekely (Hungarian Quartet) and Ivry Gitlis, the violist Rafaël Hillyer, the cellist Anner Bylsma and the pianist Menahem Pressler.

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“Francis Duroy’s bow never sounds aggressive.. He attacks the melodic outline with subtlety, and then shapes it with great spirit.. The violinist’s enthusiasm and sensibility are fully demonstrated as he modulates and explores the inexhaustible resources of his skill..” – Christian Fruchart – L’Alsace

Francis Duroy was born in Paris where his musical training started at eight years old, at Saint Maur CRR – Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional – where he graduated in piano, violin, french horn, chamber music and harmony. He completed his violin studies in Brussels ( Belgium) with Maurice Raskin, and then in Lyon CNSMD – Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique – with Veda Reynolds. In 1985, he obtained a scholarship to study at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts (Canada). He improved his skill over the years with renowned masters such as the violinists Zoltan Szekely and Ivry Gitlis, the violist Rafaël Hillyer, the cellist Anner Bylsma or the pianist Menahem Pressler. In 1987, Francis Duroy was appointed Soloist of the Lyon National Opera Orchestra with the conductor John Eliot Gardiner and Kent Nagano. In 1989, he was nominated Solo Violin of the Lyon National Orchestra (from 1989 to 1991) with the conductor Emmanuel Krivine. Since 1992, Francis Duroy carries a concert artist career which leads him all over the world. 

In 2005, he performed in Japan all over the country in the most important concerts halls with success. He also perfomed in Korea.
In April 2010, Francis Duroy performed on the prestigious stage of Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2012, invited by the Czech Philharmonic, he performed a recital on the stage of Rudolfinum in Prague. 

He is  regularly invited to perform in chamber music in various Festivals and prestigious halls all over the world ; in Japan at the Kioi Hall in Tokyo, Shirakawa Hall in Nagoya, NHK Hall in Osaka, Kyoto Center Hall in Kyoto, in Korea at the Pusan University and Poyang City Hall, in United States San Antonio (Texas) « Musical Bridges around the World », in Boston « Black man Hall », in Norway at “Grieg im Bergen” Festival, in Slovenia at Ljubljana’s Festival, in Italy in Brescia at « Serate Musicali » Festival, in Napoli at « Musica in Irpinia » Festival, in Catania, in Taranto…, and in France in main festivals and concert halls such as “Théâtre des Champs Elysées” in Paris, « Saoû chante Mozart » Festival, « Promenades musicales de la Côte d’Azur », Paris Chamber Music Festival, Tournon Festival, Musicalta Festival, Montpellier Festival, Nancyphonies… He performs with musicians such as Maurice André, Patrice Fontanarosa, Roland Pidoux, Philippe Bernold, Dominique Vidal, Michel Bourdoncle, Kyril Rodin, Henri Demarquette…

Francis Duroy plays as a soloist world wide with orchestras such as the Dniepopetrov Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra (Ukraine), the City of Pohang Symphonic Orchestra (Korea), Mexico State Symphonic Orchestra, Aguascalientes Symphonic Orchestra and San Luis Potosi Symphonic Orchestra (Mexico), the Ribeiro Preto Symphonic Orchestra (Brasil), Symphonic Orchestra ICO della Magna Grecia (Italy), Baden Baden Philharmonic Orchestra, Romania State Ochestra, and in France : « Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Lyon », the Avignon « Orchestre Lyrique Région Avignon Provence », the « Ensemble Instrumental de Grenoble », the « Orchestre de chambre Bernard Thomas » … He was also appointed solo violin conductor of chamber orchestras ; « la Camerata de France » from 1990 to 1993 and the « Orchestre de chambre les Archets de Paris » from 1993 to 1995.

Francis Duroy’s repertoire extends from baroque music to contemporary music. He collaborates with different composers such as Michaël Lévinas, Philippe Leroux, Wolfgang Motz and Nicolas Vérin who dedicates him the piece « Chassés croisés II» for violin and piano.

Francis Duroy has successfully been able to develop both his soloist career, and his teaching career. He has been a violin Professor at Lyon « CRR – Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional » from 1991 to 2022. Francis Duroy is regularly invited to teach Master classes in Asia (Japan and Korea) and in Europe and he is also a jury in International competitions. 

Since 1993, Francis Duroy has been the founding artistic director of Musicalta.

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Discography

Disque : Charles Koechlin
Sonata opus 64 for violin and piano
Quintet Op. 80 for 2 violins, viola, cello and piano

with Jean-Pierre Sabouret, Stéphane Marcel, Philippe Bary, Thierry Rosbach

Disque : MUS 1
Guillaume Lekeu / Robert Schumann

with Hugues Leclère, Romano Pallottinni, Carole Dauphin, Hélène Dautry

Disque : MUS 2
César Franck / Maurice Ravel / Gabriel Fauré

with Hugues Leclère

Disque : MUS 3
Ernest Chausson

with Jean-Frédéric Neuburger et le Quatuor Archimède

Disque : MUS 5
Dimitri Chostakovitch / Gregory Toucas

with Patrice Laré et Velichka Yotcheva, Marie-Violaine Cadoret, Stéphane Marcel, Antoine Sobczak