Equally at ease on the flute, traverso and recorder, Alexis Kossenko is today one of the few flutists to perform on all the historic forms of his instrument.

Requested to hold 1st flute position in some of the leading european orchestras, he also embarks on an intense soloist activity, beeing a sought-after recital soloist, concerto performer and chamber music partner.

STUDIES - COMPETITIONS - CONCERTS - ORCHESTRAL - SOLO - CHAMBER MUSIC

Born in Nice in 1977,  Alexis started his musical studies in his home town, before being accepted to the class of Alain Marion at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.  After gaining the First Prize in 1995, he completed his education with three post-graduate cycles (flute, traverso and chamber music. At the same time he commenced recorder studies in the class of Claire Michon in Poitiers. Subsequently he specialised in historic flutes (renaissance, baroque and romantic) with Pierre Séchet (Paris) and Marten Root (Amsterdam).  In 2000 he was awarded the Soloists Diploma with grand distinction from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

Alexis has also been successful at international competitions :  In 1995 he was unanimously awarded the First Prize by the jury of the Lions Club International Flute Competition, and in 2001 he was awarded the prize for best interpretation of Appel d’air by Bruno Mantovani by the Rampal Competition, a piece that he performed as a world-premiere at Salle Gaveau with pianist Reiko Hozu.  

His numerous concerts have been heard in the finest halls of Europe and Asia, and in many prestigious festivals : Halle, Solingen (Germany), Salamanca (Spain), Risør (Norway), Paradyz, Wroclaw and Torun (Poland), Oulunsalo (Finland), Lacoste, Aix-en-Provence, Uzès, Fénétrange, Deauville, Quartiers d’Été à Paris, Flâneries musicales de Reims (France).

His orchestral experience is particularly vast : From 1995 to 1997 he gave some 350 concerts as solo flute of the Philharmonie der Nationen (with whom he recorded the Carl Nielsen flute concerto).  Since then he has collaborated with important modern formations (Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Orchestre d’Auvergne, Ensemble Orchestral de Basse Normandie, Orchestre de Bretagne, Orchestre Poitou-Charente), romantic groups (Anima Eterna Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique) and baroque ensembles (Utrechts Barok Consort, Capriccio Stravagante, Arcadia, Mozart Akademie, Norwegian Baroque Orchestra).  Additionally he has played and recorded under the direction of Justus Frantz, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Valery Gergiev, Arie van Beek, Philippe Bender, John Eliot Gardiner, Philippe Herreweghe, Skip Sempé, Martin Gester, Jos van Immerseel, Eduardo Lopez Banzo, Emmanuelle Haïm, Jaap ter Linden and Fabio Biondi.

Since 2004, he is solo flute of the Chambre Philharmonique (director : Emmanuel Krivine).  Besides he appears regularly as solo flutist with the Concert d’Astrée (Emmanuelle Haïm), La Grande Ecurie et la Chambre du Roy (Jean-Claude Malgoire), Les Siècles (François-Xavier Roth), le Cercle de l’Harmonie (Jérémie Rhorer).

In 1997 Kossenko’s solo career took a decisive turn, when his interpretations of solo concertos by Quantz and Vivaldi were particularly appreciated in a European tour of more than twenty concerts with the European Union Baroque Orchestra, directed by Ton Koopman and Roy Goodman.

After successful tours as conductor and soloist with Arte dei Suonatori (Poznan), he has embarked on a close collaboration with this orchestra, comprising a grand series of concerts that will show the central repertoire for flute and orchestra.  Their first CD, for Alpha, with concertos by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, will appear in April 2006.

Alexis Kossenko is also a committed chamber musician : founder of La Bergamasca and of the Musiciens de Monsieur Croche (their recording of Rameau Concerts and Cantatas for Alpha has received widespread acclaim), he is also invited by numerous ensembles, and collaborates with artists such as Alain Marion, Andrew Manze, Richard Egarr, Jaap ter Linden, Ryo Terakado, Patrick Ayrton, Catherine Bott, Suzie Le Blanc, Robert Hill, Philippe Couvert, Florian Deuter, Miklos Spanyi, etc… Moreover he works with Sébastin d’Hérin (harpsichord and fortepiano) and Rémy Cardinale (piano and fortepiano) as regular duo partners.