Olivier Koundouno

Olivier Koundouno has been playing the cello since the age of 11. Along with his classical studies at the CRR in Paris and the CRD in Bourg-la-Reine, he joined various improvised music and rock groups, studied electric bass, and experimented with composing unusual pieces for cello and electronics, themed around his African roots. His passion for sound and computer music led him to pursue a sound engineering degree in Christian Briguet’s class at the Boulogne Conservatory before earning a DEUST (Diplôme d’études universitaires scientifiques et techniques) in audiovisual communication at the University of Nanterre. Koundouno also took comic book classes with Kkrist Mirror in Paris to develop his ability to tell stories through drawing, in addition to studying music. After winning a cello prize in Etienne Cardoze’s class and earning his teaching diploma, Koundouno became a professor at the Bourg-la-Reine Regional College. He became a member of classical guitarist Pablo Marquez’s Alma Viva ensemble and toured as a duo with singer Hugh Coltman. Koundouno has collaborated with the Opéra national du Rhin and participated in rapper Youssoupha’s acoustic trio tour. He has worked with Emily Loizeau and Dick Annegarn, and experimented with pop music with Cocoon and Stephan Eicher. Koundouno rediscovered Nick Drake’s repertoire with jazz musician Misja Fitzgerald-Michel, while jazz saxophonist Sylvain Rifflet invited him to join the string quartet of his Beaux-arts project. He plays noise and bass in Benjamin Flament’s contemporary jazz quartet Farmers, and he also accompanies Spanish singer Luz Casal, Brazilian singer Renata Rosa, the Palestinians of Trio Joubran, Cameroonian singer Patrick Bebey, Guinean singer Moh Kouyaté, and Reunion Island singer Danyel Waro.

During his career, Koundouno has performed at the Lucerne Concert Hall, the Teatro Gran Rex in Buenos Aires, the Olympia and the Philharmonie de Paris, the Teatro Municipal de Trujillo in Peru, and the Wiener Konzerthaus in Austria.