Since 2021, under the impetus of the Modigliani Quartet, Vibre ! has become the unmissable string quartet event that showcases the entire ecosystem of chamber music.
Vibre ! has made a lasting impression with its pioneering spirit by weaving together a diverse programme with numerous dialogues between disciplines, by bringing together the most prestigious French and international ensembles with promising young musicians, and by investing in venues dedicated to classical music or more places.
In 2023 and 2024, the Vibre ! Festival provided a period of residency and professionalisation support for young quartets who were invited to perform on stage and to benefit from new kinds of workshops and masterclasses.
In 2025, Vibre ! is organising the eleventh edition of the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition Bordeaux. From 19 May, young talents from all over the world will come to defend their passion for for chamber music, in the auditorium of the Opéra National de Bordeaux. A rare opportunity for the public to discover the great quartets of tomorrow. The Competition will also be a flagship professional event for the string quartet. In addition to the prestigious jury, Vibre ! will welcome 20 of the world’s leading concert hall and series directors in a high-level professional committee.
Backed by the Competition, the Festival continues to invite the greatest ensembles as well as young musicians, weaving an eclectic programme, working to fervently promote the full richness of the string quartet repertoire. Vibre ! will also honour the work of luthiers and bow makers, and will showcase the creation of one of today’s greatest composers.
A series of cultural mediation activities, a comprehensive school project aimed at the younger generation and a pricing policy designed for everyone reinforce the accessibility of a Festival that is above all open and convivial, designed to introduce as many people as possible to the extraordinary musical repertoire of the string quartet. From 17 to 25 May, an entirely free Competition, as well as 15 concerts in Bordeaux and mainland France, bringing together 60 musicians and artists to discover or rediscover in a Festival where music belongs to everyone.
THE FESTIVAL TEAM
Julien Kieffer, Director
Le Quatuor Modigliani, Art Director
One for four, four for one
At a time when many of the reference points in our societies are becoming fragile, culture still embodies a high collective value: it brings us together and allows us to be more human.
The string quartet is also one of the most beautiful symbols of unity, since four instruments, even different ones, manage to become one, while retaining an infinite variety of colours and phrasing. The year 2025 heralds the return of the international competition national competition, which will once again take place under the aegis of a prestigious and inspiring jury.
The exemplary work carried out by the Modigliani Quartet to bring together promising artists and leading musicians is growing stronger every year. This confirms that entrusting the artistic direction to a group rather than an individual has produced exemplary momentum and dynamism. The Opéra National de Bordeaux is delighted to once again be the co-producer of this unmissable event made up of pure music, transmission, high standards and sharing. We are all united for the string quartet , and the string quartet repays us in kind.
Emmanuel Hondré
General Manager of the Opéra National de Bordeaux
VIBRE ! at force 10 on the Quartet scale !
In the chaos of the world we live in, the United States, Europe and France are emerging from electoral sequences in which the far right seems to be progressing inexorably with its share of real threats to our civil liberties and
culture… so, in this chaos, let’s let’s rejoice in being united in a festival where music reconciles souls and reflects otherness with 11 countries represented.
In May 2025, let’s join the ‘musical revolution’ with the International Competition for its 11th edition, and let’s claim together this tremendous audacity to bet on and support young creation as the factory of the future with a selection of 10 quartets.
Thanks to our friends of the Modigliani Quartet for their uncompromising artistic direction and let us celebrate the emotion and poetry of this very special art of the quartet… between subtlety and fluidity, like a natural elegance, a balance made of spontaneity and respect for the great masters.
As a wind of freedom blows, let’s meet again on 15 May for these conversations for four.
Alain Rousset
President of the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine
“Violin. An instrument that titillates human ears by rubbing a horse’s tail on a cat’s guts.”, Ambroise Bierce
This definition may make us smile, and that’s a good thing. What it comes to tell us, to remind us, is the popular materiality of string instruments, a primary quality that the Vibre ! Festival has made its trademark by opening the doors of chamber music to welcome the whole city.
The elected representatives of the Department of Gironde are happy to be able to support Vibre !, sharing with its organisers the values of access accessibility, democratisation and inclusivity, and the desire to preserve a lively, local scene, both within and beyond the walls.
From the auditorium to the hospital, from the school to the social centre and including the care home, all places are good for experiencing classical music and meeting the artisans, whose expertise is so valuable for the musicians of today and tomorrow.
Our need for a shared culture is more alive , vibrant. It is this intergenerational culture of connection and social bonding that the Vibre ! Festival honours every year thanks to the union of the string quartet.
Jean-Luc Gleyze
President of the Department of Gironde
It is with great pleasure and great pride that Bordeaux Métropole is hosting the 11th edition of the International String Quartet Competition, an event that has become emblematic of our region’s cultural landscape.
From 17 to 25 May, the Bordeaux metropolitan area will become the stage for an exceptional celebration of chamber music, bringing together 60 musicians from all over the world for 15 concerts in 10 emblematic venues.
This event is much more than a competition: it is a journey to the heart of musical excellence, where the virtuosity, sensitivity and creativity of the string quartets are fully expressed. By welcoming promising and recognised ensembles, Bordeaux Métropole affirms its desire to support culture in all its diversity and rigour.
But this festival is also a celebration of music accessible to all. Thanks to a deliberately affordable pricing policy, we enable ns to as many people as possible to discover or rediscover the richness and emotion of classical music. This openness to the public is essential: it reflects our commitment to making culture a shared and living common good.
Beyond the concerts and the competition, this edition has a strong educational ambition with a dedicated school project. Raising high school students’ awareness of classical music is a major focus of this initiative. By allowing them to meet musicians and immerse themselves in the world of the string quartet, we are offering them the opportunity to develop their curiosity and artistic sensibility.
I would like to warmly thank all the partners, artists, volunteers and organising teams who, through their commitment and passion passion, make this cultural adventure possible. Their work and dedication allow this event to shine far beyond our metropolis.
May this 11th edition be a time of encounters, discoveries and unforgettable emotions. May this celebration of chamber music continue to inspire and enchant, upholding the values of sharing and excellence that we hold dear.
Christine BOST
President of Bordeaux Métropole
It is with great pride that the City of Bordeaux has supported and accompanied for many years the International Competition for String Quartets in Bordeaux and the dynamic dynamic Vibre! Festival.
This year, the 11th edition of this prestigious event, which has become a key event on the French and European cultural landscape, is being held under the artistic direction of the Modigliani Quartet and in co-production with the Opéra National de Bordeaux.
Since 1999, Vibre ! has been celebrating excellence and innovation in chamber music, while embodying the values of openness and transmission mission that are so dear to us. Promising young talents, as well as world-renowned ensembles, are showcased.
With an ambitious programme, engaging educational projects and innovative residencies, this festival has truly come into its own in our city. In addition to the eagerly awaited much-anticipated concerts by the Ebène and Modigliani ensembles at the Auditorium, this 2025 edition offers film concerts for young audiences, concerts in schools and hospitals, and an exhibition dedicated to the artisans of music , thus creating unique opportunities for sharing.
The City of Bordeaux is pleased to actively contribute to this artistic momentum by providing emblematic venues, supporting outreach activities, and ensuring access to the festival for all audiences. I am also delighted to see this diverse artistic event expanding and now s host international professional meetings.
Vibre ! is a valuable opportunity to remind people that string quartets are a rich and lively form of music, open to everyone, and that, beyond a precious heritage, the creativity of contemporary composers testifies to its flamboyant vivacity.
I wish the association’s entire team, all the participants and members of the jury, and all the spectators a wonderful edition.
Pierre Hurmic
Mayor of Bordeaux
