Gonzague Monney

Born in the canton of Fribourg (Switzerland) in 1981, Gonzague Monney has always been involved in the music world: his father, a teacher, choir conductor and self-taught composer, introduced the whole family to the pleasures of choral art. From a young age, Gonzague took classes of introduction to music and piano lessons.

After a scientific baccalaureate, he chose to study music at the Fribourg conservatoire, where he graduated and obtained a professional degree of choral conducting, as well as a degree in teaching music and singing in secondary and high schools. During his studies, he took a particular interest in the theory classes, especially composing. What’s more, he composed several pieces for mixed choirs, notably Gegrüßet seist Du, Maria (2008), which received the second prize of the jury and the public’s prize at the composition competition Label Suisse in Lausanne (Switzerland), an event organised by Espace 2 radio together with the French-speaking Swiss Choir Federations.

While studying, Gonzague Monney kept conducting and teaching, therefore gaining valuable experience: in 2000, he created the Utopie Vocal Ensemble (which is celebrating its 10th anniversary); between 2002 and 2007, he taught music to secondary school classes (13 to 15 year-olds); he also took part in a master class of choral conducting (baroque literature) with Frieder Bernius and the Orlando vocal ensemble of Fribourg (Switzerland) in 2005.

From a young age, Gonzague Monney also sang in several choirs. What’s more, he participated in two summer sessions of the World Youth Choir: in 2007, he travelled to South Africa and Namibia, where he met the Dutch conductor Peter Dijkstra; and in 2008, he travelled to Hong Kong, China and Macau.

Because of his disposition, Gonzague Monney decided to pursue his training in conducting. In 2006 and 2007, he studied orchestral conducting at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne, for a period of two semesters. In 2007, he successfully passed the entrance exam for the Kunstuniversität of Graz (Austria) and left Switzerland for two years, in order to improve his choral conducting skills with the famous Viennese conductor Johannes Prinz.

During his studies, he had the opportunity to conduct two performances of a stage version of St. John Passion by J. S. Bach and take part in various projects as a conductor or a singer. Among two other personal projects, he successfully conducted a semi-professional ensemble with which he staged Stabat Mater by D. Scarlatti and Jesu meine Freude by J. S. Bach.

Armed with a master degree in choral conducting, Gonzague Monney is now back in Switzerland, eager and motivated to get actively involved in the choral art, in Fribourg or elsewhere.

Gonzague Monney’s current choral activities (from the most recent to the earliest):

• Chœur Faller in Lausanne (oratorio choir)
• La Chanson du Lac de Courtepin (secular choir)
• Musical director of the first festival organised by the Choir Federation of Fribourg
• Maîtrise B at the Lausanne conservatoire (choir of children between the ages of 9 and 13)
• Musical director of the Association des Céciliennes Saint-Henri (12 choirs, 340 singers)
• Chœur des Chênes (extended family choir of the Monney family)
• Parish mixed choir Harmonie d'Arconciel
• Utopie Vocal Ensemble in Lussy