Creating Opportunities for Collaboration Between Young Composers and Experienced Musicians

Through their participation in Creative Dialogue France, talented young composers and musicians come together to collaborate under the guidance of a world-renowned faculty.

Creative Dialogue France follows the pedagogical concept developed in 2007 by Anssi Karttunen, Magnus Lindberg, and Kaija Saariaho. The workshop brings together young performers and composers at the heart of the creative process. In a unique setting, the technical, artistic, and emotional challenges that arise are addressed collectively, under the mentorship of experienced musicians.

While music schools and conservatories teach students the core skills of their profession, the collaborative creation process is often underexplored — highlighting the importance of initiatives like Creative Dialogue.

Throughout the workshop, young composers write new pieces in close collaboration with the young performers, culminating in a final concert where these works are premiered. Rather than taking on traditional teaching roles, the professors focus on sharing experience and practical dialogue, fostering a space for exchange and growth. Composers learn how to effectively communicate their ideas to performers and gain insight into how historic composers approached their craft.

Participants are also encouraged to perform their own works, giving them first-hand experience of the challenges involved in preparing their music for performance. In parallel, performers work on chamber music repertoire with their instructors, providing a historical context for the newly composed pieces. Improvisation workshops are also a core component of Creative Dialogue France.

This intensive workshop offers a deep immersion into the creative process and is often described as a transformative experience for all involved. Many participants leave with expanded musical horizons, and numerous long-term collaborations have emerged thanks to Creative Dialogue.

After two weeks of immersive work in the beautiful setting of Château de Beauchêne, Creative Dialogue France concludes with a concert featuring the original works created by the participants.

Creative Dialogue Finland 2024

Held from June 26 to July 7, 2024, the inaugural edition of Creative Dialogue Finland brought together twelve participants from top conservatories across Europe and North America, including 3 composers, 3 clarinetists, and 6 string players.

The faculty this year included composer Julian Anderson, clarinetist Chen Halevi, and cellist Anssi Karttunen. Young composers wrote works for clarinet and string ensemble, while performers worked not only on these new compositions but also on repertoire pieces, including music by Julian Anderson. As always, improvisation remained an essential element of the workshop.