2 months of musical festivities with 21 festivals supported throughout France!

The bands play on! Jazz, world music, classical music, French songs…
In 2021, we have chosen to support young festivals, some of which were “born” in the midst of a health crisis, festivals which offer artistic encounters between musical repertoires and aesthetics, itinerant festivals in rural areas (Grand Est’ival), festivals that offer free and participatory concerts in the open air and in new places (Pulsations Festivals in Bordeaux, Cosmojazz), festivals dedicated to music by women (Rosa Bonheur Festival).

New in 2021

Festival Pulsations in Bordeaux

June 30th – July 18th, 2021 - pulsations-bordeaux.com

Born in 2020, during a musical parenthesis, the new Pulsations festival in Bordeaux is a promise of freedom where music and creations intermingle based on the classical repertoire but without borders or codes, in unexpected spaces at the submarine base, the Halle de Darwin, the Cour Mably, the Rocher de Palmer, and many other intimate venues.

Classical music rubs shoulders with jazz, French chanson, court airs and bubbling new rock. Free, participatory and promenade concerts will follow the major classic events. The festival features artists such as Pygmalion, Sabine Devieilhe, James Thierrée, Camille, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Lea Desandre, Baptiste Trotignon, Kate Lindsey, etc. as well as young, exciting artists from the young generation program: Atelier-Pulsations.
Managed by: Raphaêl Pichon

Saint Omer jaaz festival

July 2nd to 5th, 2021 - saintomerjaazfestival.fr

A major jazz event in the Hauts de France region, which has been recently supported by our foundation, Saint Omer jaaz takes place in the ruins, gardens, bars, churches and at the Moulin au Café with official and fringe concerts, free or at very affordable prices.

Pianist Leïla Olivesi, jazz singers Elise Caron, Ellinoa, Lou Tavano, virtuoso trombonist and singer Robinson Khoury, trios, quartets and quintets with saxophone, double bass, piano ... Featuring all types of jazz, from blues to jazz fusion, and catch a glimpse of the future of jazz with young artists to discover in the afternoons, from the comfort of your deckchair!
Managed by: Laurent Cugny

Festival Rosa Bonheur

from July 2nd to September 5th - chateau-rosa-bonheur.fr/

Created in 2020, the Rosa Bonheur Festival has chosen to focus its programming on female artistic creation in all its forms. What could be more appropriate, in the home where the famous painter Rosa Bonheur flourished, than to continue this heritage by supporting the voice of the creators of the past and present!

Classical singers (Sandrine Piau), pop singers (Rose-Marie Standley, Clara Ysée), jazz (Lou Tavano), directors, writers, screenwriters, photographers ... the program opens a space for dialogue between the audience and creators. 18 concerts, gourmet readings, meetings in the gardens and lounges of Château Rosa Bonheur. A true pleasure!

Managed by: Lou Brault

Grand Est’ival

From July 7th to 25th, 2021 - grandestival.fr

Born last summer in the midst of the Covid crisis, Grand Est’ival is the result of a collective of 11 musical groups from the Grand Est who have innovated a new traveling festival to serve a region and the people who live there. Nearly 100 concerts scheduled in towns and villages in the Grand Est region.

Each musical group organizes a tour of ten concerts with small ensembles (between 2 and 10 artists) in places of regional heritage and with the idea of offering everyone in the Grand Est a varied and geographically accessible musical season, both financially and culturally.
The artists of Grand Est’ival think outside the box, set out on the paths to meet an unknown and friendly audience, with their dreams and talent slung over their shoulder, for the benefit of an audience that is often unfamiliar with what is available in terms of culture.

Managed by Françoise Lasserre

Rencontres musicales de Vézelay (musical encounters in Vézelay)

August 19th to 22nd, 2021 - lacitedelavoix.net

Perched on top of a hill with stunning panoramic views, the medieval village of Vézelay is located at the gates of the Morvan region, halfway between Paris and Lyon. The Sainte-Marie-Madeleine basilica offers exceptional acoustics, in particular for the voice.

The 2021 edition offers a musical journey through countries and musical styles. From the Middle East with Rusan Filiztek and musicians, conveyors and virtuosos of the Kurdish tradition, to Spain with Sephardic, Arab-Andalusian and Basque Renaissance polyphonies.
A day dedicated to flamenco with the LUISA Company, music and dance and the Aedes Ensemble with a Lamento program with Rocío Márquez, famous flamenco ‘cantaora.’
This new festival supported by the Orange Foundation also offers daily concerts and free encounters open to all on the terrace of the Basilica.

Managed by: François Delagoutte

Festivals that offer free concerts

Festival Mozaïque in Le Havre

July 21st to 25th, 2021 - mozaique.lehavre.fr

Each summer, the Moz’aïque Festival in Le Havre celebrates the wealth of music around the world, in a green setting that pays tribute to the botanists who set off from Le Havre to travel the world to discover new things. Since then, more than 2,000 artists have been welcomed there.

In a friendly, family atmosphere, the Festival mixes musical genres and brings together artists and the public; the world music program combines musical repertoires from jazz to classical, soul, rock, and even blues.
The Festival offers free concerts as well as cultural mediation actions to encourage people unaccustomed to cultural practices to come and share music.

Managed by: J Le Bay

Cosmo Jazz

July 24th to 31st, 2021 - cosmojazzfestival.com

Since 2010, under the leadership of André Manoukian, the Cosmo Jazz Festival has shared with contemplators from all walks of life an extraordinary human adventure to discover incredible landscapes, dizzying journeys and cosmic sounds, all in a friendly atmosphere.

The festival offers free events in the high mountains (more than 45,000 people over 9 days), concerts with exceptional technical constraints: open-air stages, difficult access, audience management ... Since its creation, the Cosmo Jazz Festival Chamonix has been committed to an ecological and civic approach. As a free festival, their desire is to provide access to culture for all and to welcome diverse audiences including those with disabilities.

Festival au Gres du jazz

August 7th to 15th, 2021 - festival-augresdujazz.com

Au Grès du Jazz is located in an exceptional green setting, in the protected area of the Vosges du Nord Regional Natural Park.

The Festival will take place in the heart of the old town of La Petite-Pierre, recognized for its high-quality natural and architectural heritage, sought after by urban audiences in nearby cities in Luxembourg and Germany.
It offers free concerts and generates a tremendous local dynamic that mobilizes a multitude of local authorities, businesses, artisans and spectators.
In addition to its Jazz repertoire, the festival also features World Music.

Managed by: V Wurtz / A.von Arx

Festival Voce Humana

August 2nd to 15th, 2021 - vocehumana.fr

Created in 2008 in Lannion and the Trégor region, the Voce Humana festival has placed its artistic focus on the voice.

The 2021 edition offers eight events: song, world music, recitals, vocal groups throughout the Trégor (performance halls, churches, cloister, etc.), as well as free concerts. Voce Humana welcomes the Mélisme(s) chamber choir as part of the European Heritage Days: four quartets will perform at four heritage sites in Trégor. At the end of the day, the sixteen singers of Mélisme(s) will meet their conductor Gildas Pungier for a free concert which will close this afternoon dedicated to choral singing in style.
Managed by: Olivier Rault

Festival Cordes sur ciel

July 16th to 22nd, 2021 - festivalcordessurciel.com

The 2021 edition of the Cordes music festival focuses on the Occitania region, giving visitors the opportunity to discover its repertoire from the Baroque period to contemporary creation, and to hear major artists and performers attached to the region.

Bertrand Chamayou, internationally renowned pianist will open the festival on July 16th with a “Homage to my region.” Piano concerts, a music and wine tasting concert will follow in the castles, churches and museums in the area. And during each lunch break, the festival offers free “Impromptus” concerts in the squares and gardens of the medieval village of Cordes sur Ciel, elected France’s favorite village in 2014.
Managed by: Antoine Pecqueur

Festival des Étoiles Symphoniques

August 16th to 27th, 2021 - petitesmainssymphoniques.com/

The Little Hands Symphonic Academy of Music directed by the charismatic Eric du Fay and its 280 musicians aged 6 to 24 will enchant the towns of Verneuil-sur-Avre and Iton in Normandy as part of its 7th Symphonic Stars Festival featuring 53 free concerts for a family audience.

A rich and varied program of classical music, jazz and musicals in cultural and heritage venues, all in a spirit of exchange between artists, volunteer choristers and all local population. The festival will end with a flourish at the main square of Verneuil-sur-Avre for an unforgettable moment featuring the Academy’s gifted children. A moment of sharing and intense and unique musical enjoyment.

Managed by: Eric du Faÿ,