Composer, teacher, choirmaster, and musicologist Edouard Garo studied philology at the University of Lausanne and voice and composition at Lausanne Conservatory. He continued his postgraduate education with studies in voice under Pierre Mollet in Geneva and Sylvia Gähwiller in Zurich. He was greatly influenced by Hans Haug, Lausanne and Maroussia Le Mar Hadour, Geneva (ancient and contemporary music).
He sings bass-baritone with the 'Choeur de la Radio Romande' under the direction of A. Charlet and he has toured and performed world premieres as a member of this ensemble. He teaches music and choral singing at the college in Nyon and music didactics for music teachers at the pedagogic seminar in Lausanne. He has developed new teaching methods for musical instruction and is a member of the editorial staff responsible for the methodical guidelines and the lieder collection, published by the Department of National Education, canton Waadt.
He is conductor of numerous choirs dedicated mainly to classical and contemporary music, including the 'Ensemble Choral de la Côte' that he founded in 1962. He was awarded second prize and the medal of the city of Paris in 1972 for his conducting of the 'Camerata Vocale de Genève', a vocal quintet for ancient and contemporary music.
As a musicologist and composer he has been invited to conferences and recitals at symposiums at the following universities: Oslo, Würzburg, Vienna, Graz, Lucerne, Zagreb, Bozen, Montreal and Paris. His musical work has been performed at world premieres in Nyon, Geneva, Lausanne, Paris and Budapest and a selection of which have been recorded by 'Radio Suisse Romande' and 'France-Musique'.
He lives and works in Nyon.
Work list
Trois Noëls (1964)
Instrumentation: for organ
Manuscript
Noël tonal (1964)
Instrumentation: for organ, glockenspiel and cymbal ad libitum
Manuscript
Sérénade déconcertante (1964)
Instrumentation: for an "old fashioned harpsichord", sopranino saxophone, trumpet, violoncello and five-stringed double bass
Instrumentation: for Orff instrumentarium with 2 cornets, 1 oboe, 1 guitar, 1 zithar (or 'piano punaisé' ) and recorded, sung voices
Intended for a school presentation of the tragedy of Eschyle.
Manuscript
Noël bitonal (1965)
Instrumentation: for organ
Manuscript
Le Petit Prince (1965)
Circumstantial music
Intended for performance by a school instrumental ensemble.
Manuscript
Proverbe (1966)
Parody
Instrumentation: for three equal voices
Manuscript
Deux petites pièces (1966)
Instrumentation: for one-part children's choir and Orff instrumentarium ad libitum
1. Un éléphant polytonal - 2. Chanson triste pour un fragment de "Sappho perdue"
Manuscript
Pribaoutka (1966)
Instrumentation: for five identical voices a-cappella
Duration: 1' 00" Manuscript
Trois Noëls populaires (1966)
Instrumentation: for one-part children's choir and Orff instrumentarium
1. Tous les bourgeois de Chartres - 2. Au Saint Nau - 3. Noël pour l'amour de Marie
Manuscript
Cercle vicieux (1968)
Instrumentation: for piano
Manuscript
Messe brève (1968)
Instrumentation: for bass solo, mixed choir, 4 trombones, piano, 1 percussion and strings
Manuscript
Cantate d'Inauguration du collège de Nyon-Marens (1969)
Instrumentation: for children's choir, spatialised tape recorder and Orff instrumentarium
Manuscript
Prospectrum I (1970)
Music
Instrumentation: for one percussionist (plus improvised voice) and spatial electro-acoustic apparatus.
Based on the dadaistic poem 'Wolken' by Hugo Ball.
Duration: 11' 00" Manuscript
Le Dieu dans la Jarre (1971)
Scenic music
Instrumentation: for instrumental ensemble and sung interventions by actors
Intended for the satyric comedy "Le Dieu dans la Jarre" by Jean-Samuel Curtet.
Manuscript
Prospectrum II (1971)
Music
Instrumentation: for piano and spatial electro-acoustic apparatus
Duration: 11' 00" Manuscript
Attendite popule (1973)
Instrumentation: for vocal quintet, flute, harp and organ
Transcription of a five-voice motet (1516) by Johannes Wannenmacher.
Manuscript
Il pleut (1973)
Calligramme
Instrumentation: for vocal quintet (SATBBar(fal)B), flut, harp and organ
Texts: Guillaume Apollinaire
Text by Guillaume Apollinaire."Il pleut".
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
Trois Calligrammes (1973-1975)
Instrumentation: for vocal quintet (SATBar(+fals)B)
Texts: Guillaume Apollinaire
Voyage - Les Saisons - Reconnaissance
Duration: 9' 00" Manuscript
Poznan IV (1976)
Instrumentation: for large mixed a-cappella choir
Texts: Pierre Katz
Poem by Pierre Katz.
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Les Sept contre Thèbes (1977)
Instrumentation: for eight female voices, bass clarinet, electronic organ, harpsichord, prepared piano, double-bass, percussion ensemble (with four players) and electronic tape ad libitum
Texts: Aeschylos (J.-S. Curtet)
Four tragic choruses from the tragedy by Aeschylus. French version by J.-S. Curtet.
Duration: 53' 00" Manuscript
Fluctuences I (1978)
Instrumentation: for twenty-four strings and percussion
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Fluctuences II (1978/2000)
Instrumentation: for 24 solo strings and 2 percussionists
New version.
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Fluctuences III (1978/2004)
Instrumentation: for orchestra (2(pic).2.1.bcl.2/4.2.2.btbn.1/3perc/pf.hp/14.4.4.2)
This work is a revision of "Fluctuences I".
Duration: 11' 20" Manuscript
Toccata et fugue (1979)
Instrumentation: for organ
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Incantation a 3 voix (1980)
Instrumentation: for clarinet solo and tape recorder
Three movements: 1. Solo, 2. Duo (second voice to the solo is recorded) 3. Trio (third voice to the duo is recorded).
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Comment la souris reçoit une pierre sur la tête et découvre le monde (1980)
Scenic music
Instrumentation: for clarinet, bass clarinet, double bass, percussion, piano and synthesizer
Manuscript
Gioco et Tarantella interrotta (1981)
Instrumentation: for four pianos
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Agamemnon (1983)
Opera
Instrumentation: for soprano, counter-tenor, tenor, baritone, two speaking parts, choir and instrumental ensemble (1.1(bcl)0.0/1.1.2.0/pf/4perc.timp/2.0.2.1)
Texts: Aeschylos (J.-S. Curtet)
Tragedy by Eschyle. French version by J.-S. Curtet.
Manuscript
Palme (1984/1997)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Paul Valéry
Poem by Paul Valéry.
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Le Masque (1984/1998)
Instrumentation: for haute-contre, bass solo, choir and orchestra (2.0.2.0/4.2.2.0/timp.5perc/str)
Texts: Edgar Poe
An extraordinary story by Edgar Allen Poe, a dramatic cantata for the modern times.
In the scenic version (60') a ballet troup is necessary.
Duration: 45' 00" Manuscript
Fugue à 4 voix (1985)
Pastiche of BACH
Instrumentation: for piano, vibraphone and marimba
Manuscript
Incidences (1986)
Instrumentation: for violoncello solo
Manuscript
Trois mouvements (1986)
Instrumentation: for organ and piano
Ping Pong - Pyramide - Ellipse.
Duration: 7' 30" Manuscript
Un Instant Seul (1989)
Instrumentation: for soprano, tenor, bass, choir and instrumental ensemble (1.0.1(bcl).0/1.1.btbn.0/4perc/pf/2.1.1.1)
Texts: Jean-Claude Grosset
Manuscript
Cantate d'Inauguration (1992)
Instrumentation: for three-voice mixed choir and brass instruments (2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba)
Inauguration of the canton school of Lyon.
Manuscript
Petra cantat (1994)
Cantate de lumière et d'ombres
Instrumentation: for bass solo, female vocal group, choir and large orchestra (2.2.2.2/4.3.3.1/timp.3perc/str)
Cantata in three parts:
Ad bonum montem - Cum bernenses hostes - Hodie.
Duration: 23' 00" Manuscript
La Grande Eclipse (1996)
Suite in seven songs
Instrumentation: for soprano and alto violin
Texts: Jean-Samuel Curtet
"Quand sera venu..." - "Nos mots..." - "C'est que nous écrivons..." - "Jubilation..." - "Quand sera..." - "Fausse mort..." - "Parole d'avenir".
Duration: 26' 00" Manuscript
Joutes rhapsodiques I (1996)
Instrumentation: for flute, clarinet and cymbalum
Based on the Hungarian melodies collected by Zoltan Kodaly and Bela Bartok.
Duration: 25' 00" Manuscript
Joutes rhapsodiques II (1996)
Instrumentation: for flute, clarinet and piano
Based on the Hungarian melodies collected by Zoltan Kodaly and Bela Bartok. Adaptation of version I.
Duration: 25' 00" Manuscript
Joutes rhapsodiques III (1996/1998)
Instrumentation: for clarinet, violoncello and piano
Based on the Hungarian melodies collected by Zoltan Kodaly and Bela Bartok. Adaptation of version I.
Manuscript
Le Tour de la Matière (1996)
Instrumentation: for three trumpets (four players) and percussion
Open air music in four interchangable movements:
Watermusic - Turmmusik - Pseudomarche pour un anticortège - Effet de rouille.
Duration: 24' 00" Manuscript
Moments (Quatuor à cordes No 1) (1993-1997)
Duration: 16' 00" Manuscript
Vernissage (Quatuor à cordes No 2) (1995-1997)
Introduction, Toile I - Toile II - Toile III - Toile IV.