To open the season, Frédéric Loiseau chose Duke Ellington, a unifying figure who shaped the first century of jazz with extraordinary breadth and a unique ability to reinvent himself.

Rather than taking a chronological or exhaustive approach, Frédéric focused on key moments to explore the many facets of the Duke: the instrumentalist, arranger and improviser, but also the artistic director working alongside Billy Strayhorn, and the astute businessman who knew how to make the most of the innovations of his time.

The guiding thread of the masterclass? Ellington’s taste for contrast — rough and smooth, sacred and secular, hymn and blues — as a driving force behind his creativity. A stylistic overview followed, from the expressionist jungle sound of Black & Tan and Koko to the exoticism of Caravan, as well as his major concert suites and the mini-concertos specially written for his soloists.