Florent Renard-Payen

Florent Renard-Payen is a French-American cellist, a founder of Tarab Cello Ensemble, and professor of violoncello at Conservatoire Hector Berlioz in Paris. Born in a family of professional harpists, Florent started his musical studies in Paris with Annie Zakine-Cochet and Michel Strauss. Renard-Payen moved to the United States at the age of twenty to pursue graduate studies under Andrés Díaz, receving his Master's degree and Pi Kappa Lambda award from Boston University in 1996. Florent earned his DMA degree from the Eastman School Of Music in 2004. While receiving his education in the United States, Florent Renard-Payen had an opportunity to perform in masterclasses for Pieter Wispelwey, Yo-Yo Ma, Roberto Diaz (2) and Josef Gingold. Apart from numerous performances and recordings with his Tarab Cello Ensemble, Florent Renard-Payen had been collaborating with Ensemble X, So Percussion, Society For New Music, Open Gate, Ensemble Pi, African Alchemies and other eclectic ensembles. He also commissioned and premiered solo cello works by Randall Bauer, Garrett Byrnes, Gregory Mertl, Marc Mellits and Dan Trueman. Before joining the faculty at Conservatoire Municipal du 10e Hector Berlioz, Florent had been teaching cello at Colgate University and chamber music at Hamilton College, NY. Throughout his teaching career, Renard-Payen held numerous masterclasses at Syracuse University, University Of Alaska Fairbanks, University Of South Florida, Grand Valley State University and other prominent institutions.