From solo to 100 guitars and augmented guitars by way of small and large groups, Gilles explores new forms, looks for new writings and initiates artistic adventures.
Gilles teaches guitar and free improvisation at the National School of Music in Villeurbanne and is also in charge of the department of amplified music. He is an active and founding member of PaaLabRes (Artistic Practices in Acts, Research Laboratory).
Gilles started in underground groups in Lyon – punk new wave, hardcore, experimental… He still navigates in popular music always looking for new experiences. Innovation, creation, concerts, transmission, experience, research, pedagogy, are fundamental parts of his environment.
Gilles played, invented, improvised with: Fred Frith, Maguy Marin, René Lussier, Guigou Chenevier, Noël Akchoté, Rob Mazurek, Camel Zekri, Phil Minton, Patricia Diallo, Anan Atoyama, Florence Girardon, Joelle Léandre, Marc Dresser, Nicolas Sidoroff, Jean-Charles François, Gregor Hilbe, Dave Gregory, Denis Mariotte, Christian Lhopital, Gyorgy Kurtag, Reinhard Gagel, Xavier Garcia, Vlatko Kucan, Marc Siffert, Sophie Daull, Gamelan of Yogyakarta Gayam 16 (Indonesia), le Diwen de Biskra (Algeria), and more…
Gilles like to be underwater, scubadiving, as long as life permits…
I believe in – and I claim – equality between learned or secular music, traditional music, popular music, and contemporary music…
Gilles Laval