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For the past 15 years, Printemps Musical de Chamonix has been hosting an exquisite display of evocative artistic expression that never fails to be intimate and original. This is a celebration of sounds from around the world that deviate from the norm, sounds that can often be scoffed at for being abstract, experimental, and noisy. Printemps champions those who seek to be different. It’s perfect for the aficionados out there with a keen ear who appreciate the contemplative side to music, or those who just want to hear something a bit eccentric or expand their music appetite. What to Expect Past years have seen everything from classical Japanese pianists like Kotaro Fukama all the way to the modern jazz stylings of The Big Band of the Lyon Conservatory. Printemps Musical de Chamonix is always assured to be a melting pot of music, and this year, the long-running festival takes place from 18 – 25 March, with each day centred around a different musical performance, genre, and sound. Here are just a few acts from this year that are sure to tickle those indie fibres in your body! 18 March – Barbouze de chez Fior • Contemporary classical There is a distinct allure to contemporary classical music that makes it so exciting and immersive. It resides in the symbiosis between the instruments of the old-guard and their utilisation in compositions that are more modern in influence, like jazz, rock or blues. This skirmish between old and new is masterfully depicted by the French quartet, Barbouze de chez Fior, who will take centre stage on the first day of the festival. Using the violin, cello, and viola, this group demonstrates an incredible range, as they seamlessly drift between genres and influences making for incredibly dynamic and approachable music. This creative licence is on display in a lot of their pieces; a good microcosm of this is in one of my favourites, ‘Poule-à-eau’. This colourful piece is underpinned by an orchestra twanging guitar riffs that are Indian in flavour, along with the thudding metronome of bongo drums. Of course, they accomplish this just through their eighteenth-century string instruments! 21 March – History of Guitars • 40 Guitars From All Over the World In Concert Forty guitars in unison will create an orchestra of sound that will pay homage to classical music as well as the classics that we all know and love. All-guitar concerts are quite rare nowadays, but you can expect a wonderfully lively performance as the acoustic guitars add a spry flair to spruce up some sombre classic pieces. 24 March – Jeremy Nattagh and Adele B • Ancient Instruments Mixed With Techno With doggedly primal drum beats, meditatively growling didgeridoos, and the twangs of a humble guimbarde (a type of lamellophone), Jeremy Nattagh and Adele B have naturally taken techno and drum & bass back to their origins in their incredibly animated performances. 25 March – Bukatribe • French Beatbox Armed with just four microphones, Bukatribe takes you on a journey that is just laden with style and panache as they croon, warble, and chant their way to beatbox glory. You’ll routinely find yourself amazed and the rhythms and sounds that they can create with their booming voices. This is one of those groups that are a pure joy to see live. How to Get There: Geneva to Chamonix There are going to be a tonne of fantastic performances at Chamonix this year, so be sure to book your ticket early! You’ll be happy to know that getting to Chamonix is easy if you plan ahead. The quickest route is a short two-hour flight from London to Geneva, then a short shuttle ride from Geneva to Chamonix. This can be made even easier by booking in advance with a dedicated shuttle service like Shuttle Direct. Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for affordable transfers from Geneva to Chamonix, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.
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