Born in 1999, Arthur Decaris began studying violin at the Caen Conservatory with Alexandra Mus and Stéphanie-Marie Degand. After completing an advanced cycle with Suzanne Gessner at the CRR in Paris, he joined the CNSMDP at the age of 16 in the class of Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian. Since 2021, he has been honing his skills with the renowned violinist Julia Fischer at the Munich Hochschule.

He won the Rampal-Vatelot competition in 2016 and then the Arthur Grumiaux international competition in 2017.

He joined the Jaroussky Academy in 2021, which allowed him to play Brahms' Double Concerto at the Seine Musicale with the Appassionato ensemble and Mathieu Herzog. In October 2022, he made his debut with the Colonne Orchestra under the direction of Jean-Jacques Kantorow in Chausson's Poème.

Passionate about chamber music, he founded the Astreos Quintet in 2017, with which he won the 1st prize, the jury prize, and the audience prize at the Bellan International Competition in 2018. Arthur regularly performs at numerous international festivals such as Les Folles Journées in Nantes, La Grange de Meslay, La Roque d’Anthéron, Les Journées Ravel, and the Beauvais Cello Festival. He performs alongside artists such as the Wanderer Trio, Christophe Gaugué, and Stéphanie-Marie Degand.

An eclectic artist, he performs in the show around Marc-Olivier Dupin's The Little Prince, which has been performed since 2019 at the Aix-en-Provence Theater, the Seine Musicale, and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

In 2019, he founded the Nebelmeer Trio with Albéric Boullenois and Loann Fourmental. They are in residence at La Roque d’Anthéron and have trained with the Wanderer Trio at the CRR in Paris, as well as in the classes of Claire Désert and Louis Rodde at the CNSM in Paris. They are completing their master's degree in chamber music. They have benefited from masterclasses with the Ébène, Modigliani, and Diotima Quartets, as well as Johannes Meissl, Lise Berthaud, and others.

Supported by the Caen Theater, they are recording their first album dedicated to Chausson and Saint-Saëns for the Mirare label, which will be released in the spring of 2023. They made their debut at the Folle Journée in Warsaw and at Pianissimes in 2022 and will perform at the Folle Journée in Nantes in 2023. They joined the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium in September 2022, in the class of Corina Belcea, Miguel da Silva, and Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden.

Arthur Decaris plays on a magnificent Italian violin by Pressenda, loaned by Mrs. Cougoul, through the initiative of the TALENTS & VIOLON’CELLES endowment fund.

Violin

Arthur Decaris

The Highest Form of Criticism is Time: Virtuosic Innovation in Schubert’s Fantasia and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 

"Time is the only critic without ambition." 

Steinbeck’s observation peals with truth when reflecting on both Schubert’s 

. The former was dismissed by a critic who left before the end of its first performance in 1828, while the latter was described as “strange… with what we might call perversities” in a 1798 

 review. These reactions reveal that it is not the first critic but the last critic — time — that ultimately determines the true value of art, as they are now lauded for their intriguing innovation. 

The last of his compositions for violin and piano, Schubert’s 

 was written to showcase violinist Josef Slavík’s technical virtuosity and is equally demanding for the pianist. Described as “the most difficult music ever written for the piano” by pianist Nikolai Lugansky, it begins with shimmering hemidemisemiquavers on the instrument before the violin breaks the mist with a longing melody. The contrast between the interminable sung phrase of the violin and the bubbling piano exposes both instruments with shining clarity. 

While this fantasia can be divided into thematic sections, it is its unusual structure of contrasting, loosely-linked parts that propel us into the near-formless virtuosic fantasy that disturbed critics. The second section, a Hungarian-style 

 with pronounced accents, is followed by an Andantino that sings out the theme of Schubert’s 

The colourful modulations that we recognise as unmistakably 

 mark this work, just as Beethoven’s non-standard modulations to ‘distant’ keys mark his

. Dedicated to Antonio Salieri, this sonata challenges Classical-era conventions with its unexpected harmonic shifts criticised in its time as “strange.” The opening movement announces itself with a confident flourish, setting the stage for an expressive dialogue between violin and piano. The second movement introduces an effortless elegance through theme and variations, while the final Rondo breathes a spirited joviality, leaving a lasting impression with its infectious musical motif. 

Arthur Decaris will bring these works to life with his Italian 

 violin, which he describes as possessing “impressive depth [that allows him to] discover new colours… a richness of timbre that… opens the doors to [his] imagination.” This rich exploration will be shared with pianist Orlando Bass, who approaches classical repertoire with a modern perspective.

Discover, Follow and Support Talent Globally

Arthur Decaris, violin & Orlando Bass, piano

Violin and Piano Recital

03.06.25

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