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Diary of a Cameroon's trip - from the travel to the symphonic composition -
music: "Symphonie Concertante" for cello, percussions & orchestra by Jonathan Grimbert-Barré
It has been three years that I have been working on what I call the "musical miscegenation",
which means the combination of traditions rhythms with
classical instrumental symphonics.
I had a desire to write something about the
African rhythms.
I did not only want
to listen to the African rhythms, but also wanted to adventure
in the country,
to re-transcribe it in music.
I was able to go to Africa, thanks to a humanitarian association,
"ici ou ailleurs donnons un sourire" (give a smile, here or elsewhere)
which allowed me to be at the center of Cameroon
and in the center of the culture
of the country.
therefore this "symphonie concertante" traces
directly into what I lived during my time there
there in the city of Douala
which was quite violent for a European to arrive there for the first time.
It started at the airport, where a quite impressive
and incredible crowd was present.
Just arriving, there are unknown people who have taken my cello
and ran with it through the crowd. Others have taken my suitcase, and my friend
who was accompanying me was in the same confusion.
We had an aggressor with a knife threaten us, and had more stolen from us.
it's happened really many things that were transcribed
Many different things happened in a short time frame, and all was transcribe
in the first movement a very lively fashion!
Unlike the second movement who is
the arrival in the village, there the atmosphere was completely unlike the first.
We were greeted with all the villagers
who had gathered and composed a piece just for out arrival.
After hours in the car, the piece they created
was sung and danced just for us,
it was something very touching.
"Welcome to the Cameroon we are happy!"
-- How have you felt
during these social inequalities?
Indeed, it's something difficult to describe or to say.
The third movement is devoted to this explanation,
This is a movement very personal
about the representation of a poverty
where the majority of these worlds lives are harder conditions.
Rather than Paris, or for me
changing the context in which I live,
this is something
in which leaves no indifference at all.
-- How did you finance and how did you manage to create such a project?
This is a project that has been created thanks to the foundation of the "Banque Populaire"
who sponsor me
for three years now,
It allows me to carry out projects
around the world,
they are amazing,
by providing me the financial portion of this trip.
Then there is the humanitarian association
"Ici ou Ailleurs donnons un sourire"
which has been amazing
in making it possible for me, in all I have lived
and discovered in this country.
It was Chantal Taillebois who organized that.
Afterwards, there is also the Festival "VioloncellEnSeine"
by Raphael Pidoux. Festival's Director, who has programmed the composition.
Then, there is Marc Coppey
has provided the cello soloist part,
really really brilliantly.
There are also a great many independent sponsors as well as stringed instrument makers
who by their logistic assistance. There were another twenty people,
who donated to allow the realization of this project for over two years.
-- Finally, do you have other projects similar in the future?
Effectively, with my first project launched, I want to continue something similar.
This is why I am setting up a project in Brazil
to study the rhythms of the Brazilian culture,
which are extremely rich, and numerous.
This is for a project in 2014 for the creation of
a concerto for cello,
choir and orchestra, I'll plan it for Raphael Pidoux.
English subtitles & translation by Lucy Dinkel �