Artistic direction
Sylvaine Hélary
“It is with great enthusiasm that I am taking over the artistic direction of the Orchestre National de Jazz. I am committed to embarking on this new step of my career in harmony with the history of the ONJ, with a view to reinventing it and taking it to uncharted territory. This transition embodies both continuity and a desire to further amplify this institution’s aspirations.”
A key figure on the European jazz scene with an insatiable curiosity, flutist and composer Sylvaine Hélary has been distinguishing herself for many years through her work at the confluence of jazz, rock, chamber music and experimental music. From her personal projects, in which she passionately explores timbre and alliances – with a particular sensitivity to the poetry of Emily Dickinson and PJ Harvey – to her collaborations with Steve Coleman, Marc Ducret, Sarah Murcia, l’ONJ direction Frédéric Maurin, Dominique A and French stage director Sylvain Creuzevault, she has forged a singularly cross-disciplinary universe.
Appointed artistic director of the Orchestre National de Jazz in March 2024 for a four-year term, renewable for a further two years, flutist and composer Sylvaine Hélary inaugurates her project in 2025.
For the first year of her mandate, she conceived two creations bringing together nearly thirty artists from all generations : the first, With Carla, revisits the protean universe of Carla Bley in a joyous tribute to this great iconoclast of jazz; the second, for teenagers and adults alike, takes on the 1973 cult film La Planète sauvage, offering a hybrid, immersive show in which a unique cinematic and musical heritage coexists with the art of today.
The ONJ’s mission to raise awareness and pass on knowledge remains an essential part of its creative work, notably through new initiatives aimed at young people, remote audiences and the representation of women in jazz.
In addition, two flagship projects are continuing to develop: the Orchestre des Jeunes – currently directed by pianist and composer Sophia Domancich on Didier Levallet’s repertoire – will open up to other personalities who have played in or composed for the ONJ over the course of its history; and the Académie de Composition, which continues to create a framework conducive to sharing knowledge and know-how in the fields of jazz writing and contemporary music.
Photos © Julien Mignot