About Francis Dhomont

Francis Dhomont (born 1926) is a French composer of electroacoustic / acousmatic music and musique concrete. He studied under Ginette Waldmeier, Charles Koechlin and Nadia Boulanger. In the late 40's, in Paris (France), he intuitively discovered with magnetic tape what Schaeffer would later call "musique concrète" and consequently conducted solitary experiments with the musical possibilities of sound recording. Later, leaving behind instrumental writing, he dedicated himself exclusively to electroacoustic composition. An ardent proponent of acousmatics, his work (since 1963) is comprised exclusively of works for tape bearing witness to his continued interest in morphological interplay and ambiguities between sound and the images it may create. The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec has recently awarded him a prestigious career grant. In 1999, he was awarded five first prizes for four of his recent works at international competition (Brazil, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Czech Republic). In 1997, as the winner of the Canada Council for the Arts' Lynch-Staunton Prize, he was also supported by the DAAD for a residence in Berlin (Germany). Five-time winner at the Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition (France) -- the Magisterium Prize in 1988 -- and 2nd Prize at Prix Ars Electronica 1992 (Linz, Austria), he has received numerous other awards.