Eole for Solo Piccolo by Artaud

“Eole for Solo Piccolo” is a captivating composition by flautist Pierre-Yves Artaud, created in 1993 with a revision in 1997. Originally commissioned by a close friend as a musical accompaniment for a video about wind engines, the piece made its debut on March 18th, 1993, performed by the composer himself in Rennes.

This composition serves as a study of innovative techniques specifically tailored for the piccolo, focusing on breathy sounds, pizzicati, whistle-tones, and partial sounds. Despite its thematic inspiration, “Eole” is not a descriptive piece, instead aiming to create an atmosphere of transparency and fluidity. Through its exploration of these unique techniques, the composition showcases Artaud’s skilful command of the piccolo and his ability to push the boundaries of traditional piccolo music.

Renowned flautist, Pierre-Yves Artaud studied at the prestigious Paris Conservatoire, winning First Prize for flute Chamber Music. He has collaborated with esteemed orchestras under the baton of renowned conductors such as P. Boulez, J.C. Casadesus, C. Dutoit, P. Eotvos, L. Foster, A. Tamayo, and T. Yeh, among others.

Artaud is a Professor of Flute at the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique and Ecole Normale de Musique. He has given masterclasses worldwide, including in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Germany. Additionally, he has authored numerous teaching methods.

Artaud’s dedication to both classical interpretation and the creation of modern music has garnered him the admiration of numerous composers who have written works for him including, G. Amy, A. Boucourechliev, F. Donatoni, B. Ferneyhough, S. Goubaïdulina, T. Hosokawa, K. Huber, B. Jolas, M. Lévinas, P. Méfano, E. Nunes, L. de Pablo, and Y. Taïra.