Brice Soniano

Brice Soniano
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Birth name	Brice Soniano
Born	1979 Narbonne, Southern France
Genres	Jazz, Avant-garde, Experimental music
Occupation(s)	Composer, Musician
Instruments	Double bass
Associated acts	Toma Gouband, Harmen Fraanje, Joachim Badenhorst
Website	https://www.bricesoniano.com/ bricesoniano.com

Brice Soniano (born 1979) is a French composer and double bassist known for his work in jazz, avant-garde, and experimental music. Born in Narbonne, Southern France, Soniano has established himself as a versatile musician, collaborating with a wide range of artists and exploring diverse musical landscapes.

Early Life and Education

Brice Soniano debuted his classical studies in 1997 with Jean Ané, supersoloist at l'Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier. After a short stay at the Conservatory of Toulouse - where he met Toma Gouband - he decided to stop everything to focus entirely on Jean Ané’s teaching. He followed workshops with masters such as Bernard Cazauran from l'Orchestre de Paris, Eddie Gómez, Marc Johnson, and Hein van de Geyn who invited him to follow him to The Hague to complete his studies. He graduated in 2005 from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague (Template:Langx) in the Netherlands, where he studied simultaneously jazz and classical music. His mentors included Knut Guettler, Hein van de Geyn, Jean-Paul Everts, and Frans van der Hoeven. Brice spent 2 years in the class of composer Cornelis de Bondt. His education laid the foundation for his eclectic approach to music, blending technical mastery with a spirit of improvisation and experimentation.

Career

During his studies, Brice Soniano joined the string ensemble Jargon led by Dutch composer Maurice Horsthuis. The elegance of Horsthuis’ writing combined with the adventurous playing of his fellow musicians left a strong impression on Brice. There he met the finest string players and improvisers from the Dutch scene including Jeffrey Bruinsma, Jasper LeClerq and improvisers such as Tobias Delius, Michael Vatcher, Wolter Wierbos and Michael Moore who later joined Brice's trio with Harmen Fraanje and Toma Gouband for a VIP tour in the Netherlands. The american violinist Mark Feldman appears on Jargon's record https://www.discogs.com/release/2918606-Elastic-Jargon-Slang?srsltid=AfmBOooVfk7IOQ1ug5LqOWvRdoVe0NrHcrHOT9_KjodcOujWRZafT0Sn Slang.

After completing his studies, Soniano embarked on a transformative journey to live with the Baka pygmy population in the rainforests of Cameroon. This experience deeply influenced his artistic vision, emphasizing the healing connection between music, nature, and ritual.

Soniano’s career is marked by collaborations with prominent musicians, including percussionists Toma Gouband, Levent Yildirim, Lionel Beuvens, Kasper Tom, Gabriel Policarpo and Bernardo Aguiar, pianists Lionel Malric, Christian Mendoza, ECM-recording pianist Harmen Fraanje, and Carsten Kaer, reed players Joachim Badenhorst, Michael Moore, Ben Sluijs, Cesar Joaniquet, Fredrik Ljungkvist. His work spans chamber ensemble compositions, avant-garde improvisations, and experimental projects. In 2012, Soniano has been soloist with l'Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier for the creation of the opera Jetzt from Mathis Nitschke. In 2018, pop singer An Pierlé invites Brice to collaborate for the creation A.L.I.C.E. directed by Luigi De Angelis and produced by Muziektheater Transparant at De Singel in Antwerp (BE). Brice Soniano has often collaborated with musicians from different cultures and traditions.

Notable projects include:

• Out of the Wild’s “Shades of Blue”: A collaboration with Harmen Fraanje and Toma Gouband, blending double bass textures with field recordings and unconventional soundscapes.
• Rawfishboys’ “Fengling”: A duo project with Joachim Badenhorst, showcasing Soniano’s ability to create rich, layered soundscapes.
• Earthwise Residency: Based in Mols, Denmark, Soniano continues to compose and collaborate with artists who share his commitment to playful and innovative music-making.

Soniano’s music is often described as poetic and ritualistic, aiming to evoke a sense of peace and connection. As Guy Peters of Enola Magazine wrote in 2015, "Give that man a note and he gives you poetry."

Selective Discography

As a Leader or Co-Leader

• La Rencontre – Brice Soniano Ensemble (Astropi)
• Adagio Assai – Brice Soniano (solo double bass, Astropi)
• Beyond Time – Brice Soniano with Nelson Veras, Toma Gouband, Joachim Badenhorst, and Juan Parra Cancino (Astropi)
• Fengling – Rawfishboys (with Joachim Badenhorst, D.E.W.E.R.F, 2016)
• The White Starline – Rawfishboys (D.E.W.E.R.F, 2016)
• Shades of Blue – Fraanje/Soniano/Gouband (Astropi, 2014)
• Rainy Days on the common Land - ¾ Peace- Sluijs, Mendoza, Soniano (El Negocito Records, 2015)
• 3/4 Peace – Ben Sluijs, Christian Mendoza, Brice Soniano (El Negocito Records, 2012)
• Songbook – Joaniquet, Soniano, Tom (Astropi)
• Piano Works/Piano Worksn’t – Rawfishboys (Spocus Records/Astropi, 2010)
• 1RDR – Harmen Fraanje, Toma Gouband, Magic Malik Mezzadri (Cristal Records, 2007)
• War – Rawfishboys (2006)
• Par4Chemins – Fraanje/Soniano/Gouband (Cristal Records, 2005)

As a Sideman

• 49 Steps to Heaven – Lionel Beuvens Group (Hyptone Records, 2022)
• MOTU – Lionel Beuvens Group (Igloo Records, 2018)
• Karin – Vardan Hovanissian, Emre Gultekin (Muziekpublique, 2018)
• Mephiti – (El Negocito Records, 2018)
• Ljubjana – Carate Urio Orchestra (Cleanfeed, 2016)
• Garlic & Jazz – Carate Urio Orchestra (Klein & Astropi)
• Trinité – Lionel Beuvens Quartet (Igloo Records, 2013)
• Heiner Goebbels' Walden – Ensemble Klang (2013)
• GatnoTango – Mathis Nitschke (2012)
• Changing Scenes – Eef van Breen (Challenge Records, 2012)
• Arbr'en Ciel – Christian Mendoza Group (DeWerf, 2011)
• Walla Kristalla – Saartje Van Camp (2011)
• Universal Mind – AsGuest Quartet (Origin Records, 2011)
• First Recordings – Diego Soifer'Ur (2011)
• Slang – Maurice Horsthuis String Ensemble 'Jargon' with Mark Feldman (2010)
• Composition des Trains – Maurice Horsthuis Jargon (DVD, 2008)
• Elastic Jargon – Maurice Horsthuis (2007)
• Tales of the Forest – Anka Koziel Quartet (OWL Records, 2007)
• Perfect Peace Process Plan – David Golek Group (Munich Records, 2005)

Artistic Philosophy

Brice Soniano’s music is deeply rooted in the idea of creating rituals for peace. His work often explores the interplay between sound, silence, and nature, reflecting his experiences with the Baka pygmies and his commitment to environmental and spiritual themes.

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