Christophe Rocher, a visionary clarinetist and composer, combines sound innovation, free improvisation, and scientific exploration.
A leading figure in French creative jazz, he is renowned for his expressive playing and his commitment to promoting contemporary music.
As artistic director of the Ensemble Nautilis, he embodies a resolutely open and avant-garde approach to jazz.
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Christophe Rocher is a clarinetist, composer, and sound explorer whose artistic vision lies at the intersection of contemporary jazz, improvised music, and sonic research.
Trained at the Conservatoire de Clichy, he has established himself as one of the most distinctive voices on the current jazz scene. His playing—renowned for its rich sound textures and complex melodic structures—reveals a deeply personal and innovative approach to musical creation and improvisation.
In his early years, he studied with Jacques Di Donato, Fabrizio Cassol, and Steve Coleman—three major figures whose influence profoundly shaped his musical thinking and improvisational language.
Holding a degree in Artificial Intelligence since 1991, Christophe Rocher has developed throughout his career a unique perspective on the connections between music and science. His work explores the relationships between artistic creation, sound structures, and technological innovation, affirming a forward-looking and contemporary vision of musical expression.
A frequent collaborator with leading figures of jazz and improvised music in France, Europe, and the United States, he is also deeply committed to the promotion of creative music in contemporary society. Both artist and organizer, he has been instrumental in developing initiatives such as the Atlantique Jazz Festival, the Festival Les Luisances, and the international exchange program ARCH.
Since 2012, he has served as the artistic director of Ensemble Nautilis—an emblematic collective that unites innovation, improvisation, and global openness, embodying the freedom and artistic integrity of a musician deeply engaged with his time.
