Edgar Moreau, a 29-year-old French cellist and former student of Paris’s National Conservatory of Music and Dance (CNSMDP), has been appointed as a new cello professor at the institution. Out of 20 candidates, Moreau was selected after successfully completing a two-part selection process, which involved teaching in front of a jury and a 30-minute interview.
Prior to his appointment, Moreau had served as an interim professor at CNSMDP for one year, alongside another teacher. During this time, he conducted several masterclasses for twelve cello students who were previously under the tutelage of his predecessor, Jérôme Pernoo. Pernoo had been suspended from teaching at the school due to allegations of inappropriate behavior, and he is currently facing trial for charges of harassment and sexual assault.
Regarding the situation surrounding Pernoo, Moreau expressed his intention to remain neutral, stating that he is not a judge or a lawyer. He acknowledged the existing relationships with Pernoo that had developed over the years but emphasized that he does not seek to imitate Pernoo's teaching style. Instead, Moreau aims to bring fresh perspectives and approaches to his role as a professor.
Born in 1994 in Paris, Moreau began learning the cello at the age of four and the piano at the age of six. At the age of 11, he made his orchestral debut with Turin’s Teatro Regio Orchestra. He studied cello at CNSMDP from 2008 to 2013 under the guidance of Philippe Muller and Frans Helmerson at the Kronberg Academy. Throughout his career, he has received mentorship from renowned musicians such as Gary Hoffman, Lynn Harrel, David Geringas, Claire Désert, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, and Andras Schiff.
Moreau has achieved numerous accolades, including winning first place at the 2014 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. He has also received prizes at the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition and the 2009 Rostropovich Cello Competition. He has performed with various orchestras worldwide, including the Musica Viva Orchestra, Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de France at the Theatre des Champs Elysées, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hong Kong Sinfonietta, among others. Notable collaborators in his career include the Ebene Quartet, Renaud Capuçon, Nicholas Angelich, Jean-Frederic Neuburger, and Khatia Buniatishvili. He comes from a musical family, with his brothers Raphaëlle Moreau and David Moreau being violinists, and Jérémie Moreau being a pianist.
Moreau has recorded albums for record labels such as Warner Classics and ECHO Klassik, often in collaboration with pianist Pierre-Yves Hodique. He plays a 1711 David Tecchler cello. Reflecting on his appointment, Moreau expressed his pride in returning to CNSMDP as a teacher, stating that it holds a significant personal and symbolic meaning for him.
