A singular artist and musical explorer, Julien Masmondet stands out for his innovative approach to conducting. A regular guest of prestigious orchestras in France and abroad, he has conducted in iconic venues such as Paris, Quebec City, Warsaw, Vienna, Moscow, Prague, Naples, and Riga. His career was further shaped by a notable collaboration with Paavo Järvi as assistant conductor of the Orchestre de Paris, which allowed him to expand his repertoire and work alongside such masters as Herbert Blomstedt, Louis Langrée, David Zinman, and Christoph von Dohnányi.

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Recognized for his musical instinct, contagious energy, and ability to bring musicians together, Julien Masmondet excels in both symphonic and operatic repertoire. Passionate about contemporary music, he regularly commissions and premieres new works, reinvents concert formats, and performs in unconventional venues, reflecting an ongoing commitment to opening classical music up to new audiences.

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In 2020, he founded the ensemble Les Apaches!, through which he has established a rich dialogue between contemporary creation and works of the past, collaborating with artists from a wide range of disciplines. His recent projects include Street Art, filmed live by Arte at the Musée d'Orsay; Rave-L Party, premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet and subsequently presented on international tour; Rideau!, premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in May 2026 and also presented on international tour; and Indefinito, created especially for the Louvre Museum in resonance with the Michelangelo and Rodin exhibition.

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On the recording front, Julien Masmondet has recorded for prestigious labels such as Sony Music, Warner Classics, and Aparté, working with renowned orchestras including the Orchestre National de France and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. His recent, critically acclaimed recording of Florent Schmitt's La Tragédie de Salomé with Les Apaches earned distinctions including a Diapason d'Or and a Choc Classica. With the label B Records, they have just launched a "Collection Apaches," marked by the release of the single Niviana's Devil Drop by Fabien Cali and by the 2026 recording of Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat with Didier Sandre of the Comédie Française.

 

Julien Masmondet teaches at the École Normale de Musique–Alfred Cortot in Paris, where he trained under Dominique Rouits and where he carries on the French tradition of orchestral conducting inherited from Charles Munch, Jean Fournet, and Pierre Dervaux. He also teaches conducting sessions at the CNSMD de Lyon and gives master classes abroad focused on French music.