Marie-France Arakélian

After brilliant studies at the Conservatoire National de Région de Marseille, Marie-France Arakélian completed the advanced studies programme in the class of Pierre Barbizet and Anne Marie Ghirardelli, earning a gold medal with unanimous distinction.

Appointed at a very young age as vocal coach at the CNRR de Marseille in the classes of Christiane Castelli (1979) and then Claude Méloni (1980), she specialised in the lyric repertoire, followed the guidance of Manuel Rosenthal, and has had a particular fondness for this form of expression ever since. Since 2009, she has fulfilled this role alongside Isabelle Vernet.

Her encounter with Georges Cziffra and his Foundation, of which she became a laureate in 1984, steered her career towards chamber music.

Marie-France Arakélian has performed at the Opéra Paris-Bastille, the Opéra de Montpellier and the Opéra de Marseille. She has been invited to numerous festivals across Europe: La Chaise-Dieu, the International Percussion Festival of Vienna (2002), as well as many countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland), the United States, and Latin America through a tour organised by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Alliance Française (Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru), and South Korea in 2015.

Over several years (2000 to 2005), she took part in numerous musical cruises, notably in the company of Marilyn Horne, Dominique De Williencourt, Emile Naoumoff, Jean Ferrandis and the Fine Arts Quartet.

Today, enriched by her many experiences, Marie-France Arakélian delivers the essence of her talent in recital. Since 2004, she has collaborated with Arts & Musiques en Provence on educational and cultural initiatives.

It was under Marie-France's guidance that Adeline Toniutti forged a fundamental part of her musical sensitivity. A leading vocal coach in the lyric repertoire, Marie-France accompanied and guided Adeline throughout her formative years, leaving an indelible mark on the vocal approach that lies at the heart of the Toniutti method today.

Pierre Barbizet, to whom she dedicates every musical moment she is given to share, wrote of her to Cziffra: "Her pianistic intelligence is matched by a sensitivity that works wonders in the field of vocal music especially, but she has never neglected the fundamental piano repertoire, which allows her, like many natural-born musicians, to bring exceptional qualities to the keyboard in all areas of musical expression." (Marseille, 21 November 1984)