Charlaine Epinal profile picture

Charlaine Epinal

Singer and beginner celtic harpist

About Me

Welcome on my page!


This beautiful watercolor is a present from the talented French artist Hanie, whom is a cartoonist and also designs very cute plushies, handbags, etc. Here is her main webpage, with links to her creations' shop and blog...enjoy! :-)

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

BRIAN BORU'S MARCH


*** About my musical background***

I've grown up mainly with Classical music, thanks to my father who is a music lover and made me being interested in it right from the beginning... He never obliged me to play any musical instrument nevertheless, as he himself wasen't a musician and didn't want me to become tired of learning an instrument, as unfortunately many children can experience.

I became really acquainted with music-learning when I entered secondary school in 1996, and belonged to the school's choir. I became quickly interested with singing, I mean, learning your OWN instrument, not mentioning the harmony with myself I was feeling when singing. I used to attend to Chorallèges every year at the Abbaye de l'Epau, along with other choirs from Sarthe.

Entering the Lycée Bellevue, I improved my knowledge of music history, theory and singing practice choosing the Music Option. Belonging to the choir, I performed at concerts in Le Mans, Château-Gontier and Angers with the national orchestra of the Pays-de-la-Loire. Performances of "Das Krönungsmesse" by Mozart, "Gloria" from Poulenc, and "Die Schöpfung" by Haydn.

Still a student at college in 2002, I also took up singing lessons with Jean-Dominique Abrell , in the frame of the Female Choir at the Conservatoire (French Academy of music). My voice really evolved since then, along with choir singing... Study of music theory the same year with Mr Bataille.

Entering the University in 2004, I choose once again the music option thus continued improving singing technique with Mrs Gaudois -then Evelyne Béché with whom I sang the duet "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" by Pergolesi. Work on musical & rythmic theory, song writing and music history with Isabelle Handy.

*** About the Celtic harp ***

I've really began learning music way back in 2001, when I studied musical theory in order to play the keyboard, then to take up piano... which I did for 3 years, until I discovered Loreena McKennitt's music and fell madly in love with the Celtic harp and its own particular universe... At the time, I had no money to be able to afford one, as well as I wouldn't find any celtic harp teacher in such a town as Le Mans...

Until...

At a music festival, the French "Fête de la Musique", I fortunately met two talented celtic harpists named Simone Luciani and Sylvie Callu . I later on met Sylvie again and she began giving me celtic harp lessons right from July 2004. Being herself a student at the Conservatoire, Mrs Callu redirected me then there in September 2005.

So I entered the "adult section"of the Academy of music, because I was way too old to enter a student's normal course, as well as I would have had to chose playing classical harp in such a section. I took these lessons with gorgeous artist & teacher Evelyne Cabaret, who also belongs to a band called EGCDA!

I was learning celtic harp for about 6 months when I composed my first little piece, La Cité Oubliée, as well as began to attend to animations at my University.

From 2005 I did animations and concerts at the University of Le Mans, Champagné (a small town near Le Mans), the castle of Poncé-sur-le-Loir, a Britton bar in Le Mans, Crypte St Michel, a Medieval art workshop, etc. From time to time, the wonderful djembé teacher and singer Atta Kouassi accompanies my harp on concerts with his percussions ensemble.

I performed on April 2006 at the wedding of a couple whom wanted unusual music... as well as attended to a 14th July concert with great harpist François Pernel .

I also had the pleasure to meet famous and talented harpists Elisa Vellia and Cécile Corbel for courses with the celtic harp, along with other harp students/harpists.
My first demo is out since October 2007, but I will seldomly sell it on concerts, as it isn't flawless and is kinda short (10 tunes for 21 minutes)!!

I now belong to the gorgeous choir Le Choeur d'Orphée , which is directed by Nelly Heuzé .

I also belong to a Medieval group called La Geste des Dragons as both harpist and (beginner) swordswoman!


My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/16/2006
Band Members: Charlaine Epinal - Celtic harp, voice


Influences: Concerning the celtic harp, I'm mostly influenced by Loreena McKennitt's eclectical music, as well as Cécile Corbel's, Alan Stivell, Morgan Touzé, Katrien Delavier, Elisa Vellianiti, Siléas, Alys Howe, Sylvia Woods, Kim Robertson, Gwenaël Kerléo, Esther Lamandier, Dominig Bouchaud, Sylvie Callu (my former teacher), and so on...

I'm also very fond of artists such as Ros Sereysothea, Egschiglen, Ankata, Susheela Raman, Goran Bregovic, Dead Can Dance, Secret Garden, John Lang's Naheulband, Blandine Rannou, Louisa John-Krol, Enya, Sinéad O'Connor, Tri Yann (in their early years) and Anùna. Medieval music with Discantus & Sequentia, Jordi Savall & his Hesperion XX ensemble, Janequin, de Machaut, and -of course- Hildegard von Bingen's great compositions... plus Becky Baxter's work with the gothic harp for Renaissance music.

Classical, lyric and Romantic music also inspire me with Hector Berlioz, Beethoven, Schubert, Ravel, Poulenc, Mozart, Bach, Ketelbey, Debussy, Hann, Satie, Saint-Saëns... I also like very much the electro-symphonic/goth band Das Ich, for their interesting dark lyricism.

I enjoy listening -from time to time- to symphonic black & trash Metal, electro/industrial too... but this has nothing to do whatsoever with my music ;-) Myspace Layouts by Pimp-My-Profile.com


Sounds Like: David Helfand in his "Callings from the Quiet Grove" mood, perhaps?
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Myspace is driving me nuts...

Hi everybody, I hope you're fine and having a nice day. I'm posting this one entry since I've tried oh-so-many times -for three days!- to post concert announcements and Myspace just wouldn't "let me" ...
Posted by Charlaine Epinal on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 02:28:00 PST

A very nice review about my performance at the Museums!

This morning, I had the great joy to read an article in the Maine Libre broadsheet about my 28th march concert with the djembes, and it is the very first time for me that an interview about my mu...
Posted by Charlaine Epinal on Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:35:00 PST

Erratum about 28th March's first concert...

Hello everybody, Contrary to what I first told in my venues' descriptions, I won't be playing with the djembes at the musée de la Reine Bérangère (on the 28th March's Nuit des étudiants aux musées)......
Posted by Charlaine Epinal on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:51:00 PST

Some news and a video !

Hello everybody! I hope you are having a wonderful day. I'm currently living in Sheffield in the frame of my studies (Erasmus program) and will stay there for the entire school year... Which unfortuna...
Posted by Charlaine Epinal on Fri, 20 Oct 2006 03:00:00 PST