After celebrating its 150th anniversary with great pomp, the Harmony continues to bring good music. This Saturday, May 30, the Harmony will be in Quillan as part of the music festival in the Aude Pyrenees, Vibrations in Pyrenees, on June 5 in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse (concert in aid of the victims of the large fire of the Corbières), on July 10 in Armissan and on July 12 in Coursan for the launch of the July 14 festivities.
Jean Boyer, the president of this beautiful 150-year-old association, recalls: “It was in 1876 that a group of republicans dissociated themselves from the musical group of Coursan to create the republican Harmony. 150 years later, the Harmony is still there, as lively as on the first day. The years have passed and the music has remained, carried by generations of musicians who have succeeded each other without stopping to this day. Music transcends eras, generations, and cultures and remains a common language for all musicians in the world. I am proud to be the president of this association of a century and a half and I hope that many other generations of musicians will continue in the future the long journey undertaken.”
With these words, he pays tribute to the presidents who have succeeded each other: Jean Embry, Joseph Lignon, Louis Nouguès, Georges Genêt, Claude Duvilla, Simon Thibaut, Raymond Gianet, Alfred Font, Henri Huillet, Germain Jalabert, Michel Vilotte, Marc Maze, and Jean Boyer since 2017. Just like the current choir director since 2010, Christelle Thiel, pays homage to the conductors who preceded her: Adrien Vernazobres, Émile Barsalou, Justin Laux, Joseph Lignon, François Séguy, André Sarzi, Paul Colombiès (deceased during the concert on Sunday, May 25, 1947 directing “Zampa Overture”). In 1958, a merger with the Lyre narbonnaise (conducted by André Sarzi and Gustave Boquet). Between 1971 and 1973, there is no longer a conductor in Coursan, the Harmony plays with the Lyre narbonnaise under the direction of Émile Espuma and then Émile Capman of the Lyre narbonnaise. In 1981, André Sarzi from the Harmony took up the baton, Rena Calva, Philippe Castel, Yves Penet, and Christelle Thiel.
“It’s a beautiful human and musical adventure that spans generations. A story that will continue to be written, driven by the dynamism of its music school and the commitment of all its musicians.”
