English biography

Emmanuel Hocdé was born in 1970 in Château-Gontier in Mayenne. After studying the organ at the Conservatoire National de Région of Saint Maur des Fossés with Gaston Litaize, obtaining a gold medal in 1990, he joined the class of Olivier Latry. He then continued advanced studies with Louis Robilliard at the Conservatoire National de Région in Lyon where he obtained a premier Prix, at the same time attending classes at the Sorbonne (Université-Paris-IV), from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Musicology.

In 1992, Emmanuel Hocdé was accepted into the Conservatoire supérieur de Musique in Paris to study with Michel Chapuis and Olivier Latry, graduating with a Premier Prix in organ and a Premier Prix in bass continuo.

In 2001, he obtained a specialised complementary diploma in organ improvisation from the Conservatoire national supérieur de Musique in Lyon (studying with Loïc Mallié). In the same year, he won the “André Marchal Prize” (special mention from the jury), the “Audience Favourite” Prize and the "J. Englert Marchal Prize" (special prize for playing baroc music) at the international Organ Competition in Biarritz.

In 2002, Emmanuel Hocdé won the international Organ Competition in Chartres where he was awarded the Grand Prix for interpretation, the “Audience Favourite” Prize and the Jean-Sebastian Bach Prize.

He has performed in France, Europe and the USA at the invitation of the most prestigious organ festivals. Several of his concerts have been broadcast, on notably Radio Classica (Spain), Radio Slovenia and Slovakia, and France Musique. Critics have hailed him as one of the most promising organists of his generation: “capable of restituting and communicating all the different facets of compositions with style and sensitivity ..., his light intelligent articulation made the most difficult music seem simple and radiant.” ‘Greenwich Citizen-Connecticut U.S.A.)

Emmanuel Hocdé is resident organist at the church of Saint Eloi in Paris (12th district) and organ professor in several music schools.