Emmanuelle Haïm

Early life, student & assistant years

Haïm grew up in Paris, and was raised Catholic although her father is Jewish. Her musical education began early, after her father's purchase of a grand piano, and a visit to her family by Zoltán Kocsis when she was age 8. She was also interested in dance as a child, but was diagnosed with a curved spine at age 10, and wore a body corset for 10 years.

Haïm spent 13 years studying at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris, where she studied organ with André Isoir. She came to focus on the harpsichord, which she studied with Kenneth Gilbert and Christophe Rousset, and was awarded five first prizes at the Conservatoire. William Christie invited her to work with his ensemble Les Arts Florissants, as a continuo player and musical assistant. On Christie's recommendation, she later worked as a coach and assistant to Simon Rattle, as well as a guest artist with Rattle.

Conducting career

After several years, Haïm left Les Arts Florissants to become a conductor. In 2000, she formed her own baroque era ensemble, "Le Concert d'Astrée", with which she has conducted and toured regularly.

Haïm's 2001 conducting debut with Glyndebourne Touring Opera, in a production of Handel's Rodelinda, brought her to wider artistic notice. She returned to Glyndebourne in 2006 to conduct their production of Giulio Cesare. Her first conducting appearance at The Proms was in July 2008. Her US conducting debut was in 2003, with Chicago Opera Theater. On 2 November 2007 she became the first woman to conduct at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, conducting Giulio Cesare. Her first US conducting appearance with a symphony orchestra was in November 2011, in Los Angeles.

Haïm has been married and divorced. She is the mother of a daughter, Louise, from her relationship with oboist Laurent Decker.

Recording career

Haïm has a recording contract with Virgin Classics. Her collaborators have included Natalie Dessay, Ian Bostridge, Rolando Villazón, Philippe Jaroussky, Susan Graham, Sara Mingardo and Laurent Naouri.

Discography (extract)

Awards and recognition

Emmanuelle Haïm became a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur in 2009, and is a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2007, she was granted honorary membership of the Royal Academy of Music, London.