Les Inoubliables Festival: Another History of the Guitar

A festival dedicated to female composers—both past and present—in classical music and jazz, it will take place for a single concert at the Château de Voltaire for this second edition, featuring “Another History of the Guitar” by the duo Philomèle!
Formed by Léa Masson and Dania El Zein, the duo met at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique (CNSMDP). Together, the two musicians take the audience on a journey through several centuries of women’s musical creativity, from the theorbo (the guitar’s ancestor) to 20th-century repertoires.

Long associated with salons, the guitar’s history has nonetheless been largely shaped by women composers, whose works are still far too rarely heard. Through rediscovered works and more contemporary pieces, this program highlights the enduring presence of women in the history of this instrument and invites the audience to take a fresh look at a musical heritage that remains largely unknown.