Elisée Defaut
Between classical music, jazz, and electronic textures, Elisée Defaut has developed a singular sonic universe in which the clarinet becomes a true instrument of contemporary expression. Trained in some of France’s most prestigious conservatories, the musician and composer asserts through Interstice a sensitive, organic, and deeply personal aesthetic.
Born in 2000, Elisée Defaut is a French clarinetist and composer. He began playing the clarinet at the age of 5 within a classical environment. He trained at the Bordeaux Conservatory in the class of Richard Rimbert, where he earned his Diplôme d’Études Musicales (DEM) in 2020. That same year, he also won first prize at the Caluire et Clarinettes competition. He later continued his studies at the CRR de Paris with Paul Meyer and Franck Amet.
From an early age, he developed a particular sensitivity to the expressive richness of his instrument, exploring both the classical repertoire and improvised music. Having served as principal clarinetist of the Petites Mains Symphoniques orchestra, he expanded his expressive possibilities by learning the saxophone as well as the bass clarinet. He was also part of a contemporary music band for seven years, where he trained in the art of live performance, the stage, and the sharing of live music.
In 2020, he released his first EP, Démence, marking the beginning of this hybrid sonic exploration. With his first album, Interstice, released in 2026, Elisée Defaut affirms a fully realized aesthetic: a sensitive, organic, and modern instrumental music, where the clarinet becomes in turn voice, breath, and sonic material.
Now a clarinetist with the Orchestre de la Musique de la Gendarmerie Mobile, he moves away from traditional classical codes to build a personal musical language. His music stands at the crossroads of several influences: the freedom of jazz, contemporary electronic textures, and the emotional intensity of klezmer music.
