Duo Xylème

"The xylem is one of the tissues that make up wood. It evokes the warmth of the cello’s timbre and the closeness sought with the audience, knowing that in past centuries, its preferred repertoire was mainly performed in the intimate atmosphere of private homes."

Founded in 2019, the Duo Xylème was naturally born from my long musical and friendly relationship with Camille Ledocq. First through the unforgettable musical stage "Rigaudon" every August of our childhood and adolescence, then through a shared time at IMEP in Namur and a joint presence within the Young Belgian Strings.​

The starting point of our work was to explore the 19th-century repertoire, a period of flourishing creativity and the time of the cello’s rise as a solo instrument, thanks to composers and virtuosos such as Jacques Offenbach, François-Adrien Servais, and Auguste Franchomme. Eager to add more diversity to our concert programs afterward, my very first composition for 2 cellos was created in 2022; "Rhapsodie sans frontières" is a musical fresco in 3 movements, influenced by a variety of different styles.​

We regularly join our former teacher, Guillermo Cerviño Wood, for trio performances. There, too, we rediscover a sometimes overlooked repertoire that honors the diverse ranges of our instruments. "Paroles d’engagées" is another piece I composed, created on November 9 and 10, 2023, in Brussels and Grez-Doiceau, for this trio formation. It paraphrases several female creators, from Hildegarde von Bingen to Violeta Parra, aiming to do justice to their talent and commitment.