The Chantal Juillet and Charles Dutoit Chamber Music Library was unveiled at the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra on December 19, 2023, with Canadian violinist Chantal Juillet and her husband, Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit, attending the unveiling ceremony. The library houses 1,060 sets of precious music scores, including over 3,000 chamber music works by 230 composers from the 17th century to the present day, donated by Juillet.
The scores cover various forms of chamber music, including string, wind, percussion, keyboard, and vocal music, with a focus on instrumental works ranging from duets to large ensembles. Many internationally renowned musicians, such as pianists Martha Argerich, Gary Graffman, and Yuja Wang, violinists Itzhak Perlman and Leonidas Kavakos, cellists Yo-Yo Ma, Gautier Capuçon, and Misha Maisky, and the composer Krzysztof Penderecki, have used these scores in their performance. Some scores even have handwritten markings left by these musicians during rehearsals.
Juillet donated these precious scores to Guangdong because of her close relationship with the region. Juillet and Dutoit served as the music director and chamber music director of the Canton International Summer Music Academy (CISMA) from 2005 to 2007. This was the first large-scale international professional music summer camp held in China, and most of the young musicians trained there have now taken up important positions in many famous orchestras and music academies.
File photo of the 2nd CISMA in 2006
"During the auditions (of CISMA), I realized that many young musicians had difficulty finding music for the audition." Therefore, as she has retired, Juillet decided to donate these chamber music scores that she accumulated in the past 25 years to benefit more music practitioners, and she believes that the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra will fully utilize them.
Chantal Juillet
Chantal Juillet (R3), Charles Dutoit (R4) and some students participating in the CISMA from 2005 to 2007
Currently, these scores have been cataloged and stored according to library management standards. The Chantal Juillet and Charles Dutoit Chamber Music Library has the most extensive collection of chamber music in China. People need to make an appointment to access the library, and the reservation channel will soon be announced through the official platforms of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra.
Furthermore, in the future, the library will also develop online access capabilities and gradually digitize all the scores, which will benefit music education in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond.
The day of the unveiling ceremony also happened to be Juliet's birthday. "Being a part of this project in China has been an incredible opportunity in my life. I will always cherish it as one of the highlights of my musical career," she said.
Reporter | Holly
Editor | Steven, Monica, James
Photos provided to GDToday
