Born in France, Julien Compagne studied piano and percussion at the conservatory for over 10 years. Moving to Montreal in 2004, he obtained a Master of Music in percussion with Robert Leroux, Julien Grégoire, and Louis Charbonneau, further specializing in pop percussion with Paul Picard.
A versatile performer and recording artist, Julien collaborates with various renowned classical and contemporary ensembles (Sixtrum, NEM, SMCQ, Les Violons du Roy…) as well as with numerous pop artists, including Jorane, Patrick Watson, Johnny Hallyday, Lewis Furey, Michel Legrand, and Aretha Franklin. An apprenticeship in Brazil and involvement with Latin, African, and Asian music groups, such as the Gamelan Giri Kedaton, Le Bloco, Chimpum Calao and Écho Mandingue, add a touch of world music to his eclectic experiences.
Julien received the 1st prize at the concerto competition at the University of Montreal and the 1st prize at the concours des Jeunesses Musicales de France. He has been a member of Sixtrum percussion ensemble since 2012, and is a co-founder of the 2 pianos 2 percussions quarter Quatrix and a co-founder of Video Phase.
His work as a composer draws on his interest in combining styles and in experimentation. In all of his undertakings, Compagne has two main objectives: to make formal music more accessible, and to introduce new colours and timbres into popular works.
