Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin on the French Tradition of Organ Improvisation

Welcome to episode 11 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

​Listen to the conversation

Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin is an Assistant Titular organist of the great organ of Saint Sulpice in Paris, organist emeritus of the great organ of Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, and Professor at the Royal College of Music in London.
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​"I decided to study improvisation with Rolande Falcinelli. And I remember the first moment when she said to me, 'if you want to be my student, I want to listen to you. I give you this theme - you have 6 minutes.' The form was very free. It was just what I can make with just one theme. I remember 6 minutes passing in my clock and I tried to make the maximum and after I finished, I turned my head, I saw the face of Rolande with a little smile and she said, 'OK, you can prepare for concourse to become my student. Now I can say to you what was good, what was not good.' She remembered exactly all. She said - 'at this moment it was too long, at this moment - it was too short...' And so I became her student. It was a very good moment in my life".

Watch the video version of the conversation (my apologies for the background sounds in the hotel lobby):

Relevant link:
Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin's website

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