Aurélien Dumont (France)

Aurélien Dumont (born 1980) holds a doctorate in musical composition from the SACRe programme, jointly developed by the École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL), and the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP). He also completed IRCAM’s Composition and Computer Music courses, Cursus 1 and 2. In 2017–2018, he was a resident at the Académie de France in Rome – Villa Médicis. Since September 2024, he has been Professor of Contemporary Instrumental and Vocal Composition at the Lyon Conservatoire (CNSMDL). 

His music unfolds as a cartography of musical objects brought into relation with other art forms, literature, and philosophy, particularly the thought of François Jullien. It proceeds by opening écarts between heterogeneous elements and bringing distant realities into proximity. His close connection with Japan and pop culture runs throughout his work, alongside his dialogue with science fiction. The writings of Philip K. Dick and Ursula K. Le Guin inform his exploration of music’s capacity to bring forth imaginary worlds with distinctive sensory qualities. 

The performing arts remain central to his artistic practice, notably through collaborations with French-language writers. He has set texts by Antoine Volodine and Annie Ernaux to music, as well as works by the poet Dominique Quélen, with whom he has maintained a long-standing collaboration. His catalogue comprises nearly 80 works spanning a wide range of forms, from chamber music to large-scale orchestral works, as well as music theatre, opera, installation, and choreography. His works are performed by leading ensembles, orchestras, and soloists on the international contemporary music scene. 

His research-creation practice explores the compositional gesture and its capacity to renew our understanding of alterity. His theoretical writings have been published by Presses Universitaires de France, Presses Universitaires de Rennes and de Provence, Éditions de l’Observatoire, and Actes Sud, among others. His scores are published by Artchipel. 

Aurélien Dumont has received numerous international awards and distinctions, including the Pierre Cardin Prize from the Académie des beaux-arts, the Prix de confirmation from the Simone and Cino Del Duca Foundation, Enesco and Dugardin Prizes from SACEM, Nouveau Talent award from SACD, the San Fedele Prize in Milan, and the Takefu International Music Festival Prize in Japan. In 2023, he won the secondary school student vote at the 24th Grand Prix Lycéen des Compositeurs. 

His three portrait albums — While (2015, NoMadMusic), Stillness (2018, Odradek), which received the Académie Charles Cros International Grand Prix for Recordings, and Tide (2020, NoMadMusic) — have been praised by music critics.