Marius Constant
1975 - 2004
French
Biography
Marius Constant was born in Bucharest in 1925. He was a brilliant student in his home town conservatory with teachers Dinu Lipatti, Georges Enesco and Constantin Silvestri. In 1945 he went to Paris to complete his musical studies at the Conservatory and the École Normale with Nadia Boulanger, Olivier Messiaen, Tony Aubin and Jean Fournet. While leading a fully active career as composer and conductor he founded Ars Nova in 1963, an ensemble specialising in the performance of contemporary music. His list of works includes three operas, a huge oratorio Des droits de l’homme, seven ballets and numerous orchestral works, many in concerto form (for oboe, saxophone, horn, trombone, percussion, harp, harpsichord, electric guitar, barrel organ and violin). Marius Constant died on 16 May 2004.