The program features several signature works for violin and orchestra by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George, alongside the premiere of a new piece for violin and string orchestra composed as a tribute to him by the renowned French-Caribbean composer Thierry Pécou.

The idea behind this juxtaposition is to bring together two composers of Caribbean origin from different eras, using a similar instrumental ensemble to build a bridge between the classical works of the Chevalier de Saint-George and the contemporary musical world of Thierry Pécou.

Context

The idea of recording the violin works of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George, was first imagined when Romuald Grimbert-Barré was still a teenager and first discovered the composer’s music and remarkable life story.

Since then, Saint-George’s compositions have become an integral part of the violinist’s concert repertoire. He has performed them in prestigious venues such as the Cathedral of Les Invalides in Paris, across Germany, in the French Caribbean (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana), and numerous times in the United States, where Saint-George is considered a major cultural figure within the African-American community.

One of Grimbert-Barré’s performances of the Concerto Op. 5 No. 2 in Charleston, South Carolina, was broadcast multiple times on the American public radio network NPR, during the country's most popular classical music show, Performance Today. He also took part in the Dutch public television documentary Nieuwe Blik Terug about the Chevalier de Saint-George, aired on NPO 2, and performed several of the composer’s works live with piano on the show Podium Klassiek. Most recently, he served as music director for a major performance dedicated to Saint-George during the 2024 Nuit Blanche festival in Paris. The event featured 60 musicians, dancers, and fencers on stage in collaboration with the Orchestra of the Republican Guard and the City of Paris.

November 15, 2025

Tribute to Saint-George

Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport, Les Abymes

https://festivalsaintgeorges.com/2025_Festival/Festival_Overview/2025_Festival_Overview.html