Antoine Courtois Antoine Courtois / CONFLUENCE AC335BM-1-0 [Bb Trumpet] [Selected by Clément Saunier]

Antoine Courtois CONFLUENCE AC335BM-1-0


Antoine Courtois is a prestigious brand that has been manufacturing brass instruments for over 200 years.
The company began manufacturing trumpets for military bands in 1789 and was established as a company in 1803.
The unique and elegant instrument-making techniques were passed down through generations at the Amboise factory (France), and in 2015, they were taken over by B&S in Markneukirchen (Germany).
As a result, Antoine Courtois brand products can now be produced and supplied more stably, while maintaining their unique characteristics and high quality, thanks to B&S's technical expertise and production capabilities.




●CONFLUENCE AC335 / Re-evaluating French Trumpets The Confluence (meaning "fusion") series of professional trumpets was created through the collaboration of extraordinary talents: trumpeter Clément Saunier, instrument maker and designer Adrien Jaminet, and the research and development team at Antoine Courtois.

Based on Clément Saunier's meticulous supervision and the know-how accumulated by the research and development team over many years of experience, an instrument characterized by the elegant tone representative of the French school of music was developed.

The Confluence is designed to satisfy musicians who demand uncompromising richness and a more beautiful tone, while combining ease of playing with perfect intonation.

It can handle any repertoire and meets the needs of musicians of all levels, from professional performers to amateurs, playing in all genres and settings.

Combining French design with the exceptional craftsmanship of German workshops, the Confluence trumpet comes in a total of eight variations: four B♭ trumpets and four C trumpets.



Specifications/Key: Bb trumpet; Bore: M 11.40mm
• Bell / Yellow brass (Diameter / 123 mm)
・Lacquer finish

Accessories: 2 types of bottom caps (yellow brass / nickel silver)
• Dedicated backpack case included • Mouthpiece: ICON
etc.


Clément Saunier's Profile
(Clément Saunier)

Clément Saunier is one of the most active French classical trumpeters in the French and international music scenes. He graduated from the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Paris and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, and studied with Pierre Gillet, Clément Galec, Gérard Boulanger, and Jens McManama. He later honed his skills under Pierre Thibaud and Vladimir Kafelnikov.
He has won numerous top prizes in major international competitions, receiving high praise at the Città di Porcia International Competition (Italy), the Prague Spring International Music Competition (Czech Republic), the Jeju International Competition (South Korea), the Theo Charlier International Competition (Brussels), the Maurice André International Competition (France), and the Tchaikovsky International Competition (Russia).
In 2013, he became principal trumpeter of the Ensemble InterContemporain. With the ensemble, he has performed and premiered numerous works with leading contemporary composers and conductors. His main repertoire includes Hans Werner Henze's Requiem, György Ligeti's Mystic Macabre, Luciano Berio's Sequenza X, Jan Mares' Metal Extensions and Metallics, Richard Ayers' NONcerto, Jan Robin's Doppelgänger and Evil Twin, Liza Lim's Wild Winged One, Hector Parra's Triptyque Bleu, José Miguel Fernández's Gnomon, and Thomas Simak's Soliloquy IX.
To date, they have performed in major halls around the world, including the Philharmonie de Paris, the Cologne Philharmonic, the Centre Pompidou, as well as in Hamburg, New York, Tokyo, Moscow, Berlin, and many other locations.
As a soloist, he is frequently invited to perform with numerous orchestras and at music festivals both within and outside of Europe, and he is also actively involved in chamber music and recitals. He is also a founding member of the Tromba Mania Ensemble and the Paris Brass Quintet.
His discography reflects a diverse artistic journey, ranging from Baroque to contemporary works. He has recorded concertos by Henri Tomasi (with the English Chamber Orchestra), Ida Gotkovsky, Charles Chêne, Lalo Schifrin, Roger Boutry, and Anthony Girard. Furthermore, in 2017, he released the album "Direction," a collection of trumpet solo works by Fedele, Maxwell Davis, Pincher, Scelsi, Henze, and Takemitsu. These recordings have been released on the Cristal Records, Maguelone, Klarthe, and Corélia labels.
He is also very active as an educator, serving as a professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon and the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris, and regularly giving master classes at major educational institutions around the world.
Since 1998, he has launched numerous arts and educational projects for brass instruments. He is particularly known as the founder of the international music festival "Le Son des Cuivres" held in Mamère, the Surgère Brass Festival, and the Surgère Brass & Percussion Academy, which attract thousands of visitors every summer.
He was involved in the development of Antoine Courtois's instruments and performs using instruments manufactured by the same company.