Biography
Renaud Capuçon, Artistic Director
Founded in 1942 by Victor Desarzens, the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (OCL) has become one of the most sought-after chamber orchestras in Europe. With an ensemble of around forty musicians, the orchestra embraces a vast repertoire ranging from early Baroque to contemporary works.
Soon after its founding, the OCL was invited to perform internationally and has played in the most prestigious concert halls and festivals, collaborating with leading soloists and conductors. In the 2024-2025 season, the OCL and Renaud Capuçon will be touring South Korea, France, Denmark, and Germany.
The OCL boasts an extensive discography: from the complete recordings of Haydn’s operas in the 1970s and 1980s under the direction of Antal Dorati, to Beethoven and Mozart concertos with Christian Zacharias, as well as recordings dedicated to Schoenberg and Webern (with Heinz Holliger) and Spohr and Weber (with Paul Meyer). The OCL has recorded two albums under the direction of Joshua Weilerstein. The first two albums under Renaud Capuçon’s direction were released by Warner Classics (an Arvo Pärt album in 2021 and another featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and two concertos by Chevalier de Saint-George in 2022). A recording of Mozart’s violin concertos was released by Deutsche Grammophon in September 2023, with another album dedicated to Fauré to be released in June 2024.
OCL’s stature is, of course, synonymous with prestigious guest soloists and conductors, but it is first and foremost defined by a strong identity shaped over the years by a small number of artistic directors. After founder Victor Desarzens (1942-1973), the role was taken up by Armin Jordan (1973-1985), Lawrence Foster (1985-1990), Jesús López Cobos (1990-2000), Christian Zacharias (2000-2013), and Joshua Weilerstein (2015-2021). In the fall of 2021, Renaud Capuçon became the orchestra’s artistic director. The renowned French violinist and conductor’s vast musical experience, dynamic energy, and artistic stature have further enhanced the orchestra’s international reputation. This has led to prestigious invitations worldwide, as well as artistic collaborations with renowned conductors and soloists such as Daniel Harding, Yo-Yo Ma, Maria João Pires, and Martha Argerich.
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