CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS

Founded in 2015 by Stradivaria – Baroque Orchestra of Nantes in collaboration with Anacréon, the Concours International de Musique Ancienne du Val de Loire (CIMA) was established to support the emergence of a new generation of instrumental ensembles specialising in the performance of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century repertoire on period instruments.

Held every two years with the support of the City of Nantes, the City of Angers and the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the competition combined artistic excellence with professional development. More than a competition, CIMA was conceived as a platform for the professional integration of young ensembles into the world of early music, fostering exchanges with some of the field's leading performers, presenters, academics and industry professionals.

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Each edition centred on a specific musical theme and unfolded over two stages: a semi-final and a final, hosted at prestigious venues including the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the Nantes Conservatoire and the Grand Théâtre d'Angers. The selected ensembles were assessed by an international jury comprising distinguished figures from the worlds of early music performance, research, higher education, artistic programming and specialist media. At the invitation of Daniel Cuiller, founder and former Artistic Director of Stradivaria, the jury was chaired from 2015 to 2023 by harpsichordist and conductor William Christie, founder of Les Arts Florissants and one of the foremost figures in the international revival of Baroque music.

The competition awarded a First Prize of €4,000 and a Second Prize of €2,000, together with an Audience Prize whenever public attendance made this possible. Beyond these financial awards, laureates benefited from a range of career-development opportunities, including concert engagements, promotional material, networking opportunities with industry professionals and, in the most recent editions, an invitation to appear on Le Live, the flagship programme of France Musique, one of the competition's media partners.

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As the financial environment became increasingly challenging, particularly following the withdrawal of regional funding from the Pays de la Loire Regional Council, Stradivaria chose to refocus its resources on its core artistic activities: creation, production and touring. The 2024 edition therefore marked the final chapter of the Loire Valley International Early Music Competition.

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Stradivaria extends its warmest thanks to its partners, jury members, host institutions, patrons and all the professionals whose commitment contributed to the success of the competition. It also wishes to acknowledge the many ensembles from across Europe whose talent, enthusiasm and dedication brought this exceptional artistic and human adventure to life over the course of nearly a decade.