After 10 years as Managing Director of the Orchestre National de Lille, François Bou has been appointed Artistic and Educational Director of Casa da Música in Porto (Portugal), effective from the 1st of February 2025.
"At the dawn of a new adventure, I thank François Bou for the mission accomplished. Under his artistic and later general management, the Orchestre National de Lille has strengthened its outreach, expanded its repertoire, and continued its innovative efforts to engage with all audiences. I wish him every success in his new role at Casa da Música in Porto." François Decoster - Chairman of the Board of the Orchestre National de Lille.
During the past decade at ONL, he led the recruitment process for two musical directors, appointing Alexandre Bloch in 2016 - following the founding conductor Jean-Claude Casadesus - and Joshua Weilerstein, who just began his new position in late August 2024.
He notably revived the orchestra's audiovisual policy, producing over 20 CDs, television recordings, and the creation of a virtual concert hall, Audito.2.0 (available on the orchestra's YouTube channel), offering concerts, interviews, and various educational and cultural video formats. Starting in 2017, he initiated the creation of two educational social orchestras, first with the DEMOS program, then OPUS, the Metropolitain Youth Orchestra, as well as a professional integration academy for young musicians graduating from major music conservatories in partnership with the french ensemble Les Siècles.
For the Portuguese cultural institution, "François Bou presented a clear vision for the artistic programming of Casa da Música, which largely aligns with the strategic directions defined by the institution: a place open to society and current and future challenges (...). Among the selected candidates, he demonstrated solid preparation to lead the institution in the coming years, bringing a clear musical vision that is comprehensible and mobilizing to the spaces, auditoriums, and public programs of Casa da Música."
Biography
After completing a literary "baccalauréat" and studying law, François Bou pursued higher education in singing, musical theater, and opera at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris.
His training and organizational skills naturally led him towards a career in live performance administration (opera and symphonic orchestras).
His passion for voice and music, combined with early professional experiences, enabled him to assume management positions in recognized musical institutions such as the Atelier Lyrique and the Orchestre de l'Opéra de Lyon (under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner), as well as with the Ensemble Intercontemporain, which was led by Pierre Boulez and conducted by Peter Eötvös.
Through numerous artistic encounters, François Bou quickly rose to various programming and production management positions in major french national institutions such as the Opéra du Rhin (Strasbourg), the Opéra de Rouen, and the Opéra-Comique in Paris.
In 1999, he joined the Orchestre National de Lille as Artistic Director. Over eight enriching years, François Bou gained a deep understanding of the ONL, as well as the social, political, and cultural environment in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. His desire for renewal and experimentation was reflected in the development of collaborations between metropolitan, regional, national, and international cultural institutions, as well as the creation of two festivals: the Lille Piano(s) Festival, initiated by "Lille 2004 - European Capital of Culture" with the conductor Jean-Claude Casadesus, and the Boulogne-sur-Mer Violin Festival in 2006.
This significant period of collaborations allowed him to join the London-based international agency Van Walsum Management (now Maestroarts) in 2007, where he worked as a "project manager" in the international projects and tours department. His role opened doors to the international music scene, organizing major events at renowned venues and prestigious opera houses across Europe.
In 2009, he was appointed General Director of the OBC (Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya), where he developed the orchestra's outreach policy through numerous unique collaborations both in Barcelona (Gran Teatre del Liceu, Palau de la Música, CaixaForum...) and internationally. He promoted cross-arts initiatives, notably with dance through the Danse Centre El Mercat de les Flors, the Museu Picasso, and the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. He created the first edition of Orquestra a la Platja. Despite the financial crisis caused by the subprime mortgage collapse, he solidified the orchestra's status as a key cultural player in Catalonia, revitalized national and international tours, and was a member of the Executive Board of L'Auditori, where the OBC is based, representing the institution at the ECHO (European Concert Halls Organization). He was also a member of the Board of Directors of AEOS (Spanish Association of Symphony Orchestras).
In June 2014, he was appointed General Managing Director of the Orchestre National de Lille, where he was responsible for the conception and execution of the orchestra's artistic and cultural project as well as its general management.
In April 2016, the French Consul General in Barcelona awarded him the insignia of Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a distinction that particularly honors his cultural diplomacy efforts between France and Catalonia.
François Bou is currently Vice-President of the French Orchestra Association (AFO) and the Board of Les Forces Musicales, the professional union for operas and orchestras.