Bringing together ancient and contemporary music to enhance their essence: from this alchemy that breaks down boundaries emerges a new texture that creates a suspended moment, timeless, evoking wonder, reverie, and joy...
Rather than a superimposition, a journey through transmutation, a reinterpretation. A historically informed interpretation to better savour the blend of the ancient source with a contemporary perception—vibrant, fluid, moving.
Thus, voices, ancient instruments, spatial arrangement and, very often, electronics transcend their original functions through various processes, arrangements and new compositions, seeking a direct and sensitive connection with the listener.
Traditional and popular music also feature in our programs, offering another form of sonic tribute to the diversity of humanity’s rich musical heritage.
Founded in 2014, Alkymia is affiliated with DRAC AURA and supported by the City of Lyon. The ensemble runs a project at the third-place venue Les Grandes Voisines, receives funding from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, Spedidam, Adami, Maison de la Musique Contemporaine, Sacem and CNM, and is a member of the Fédération des Arts Partagés and FEVIS.
Mariana Delgadillo Espinoza
Artistic Director
A prize-winning choir and orchestra conductor at the 8th International Competition in Italy in 2015, she was awarded First Prize and the Special Prize for the performance of early music. Today, she leads a busy career as a performer, creator and research associate at the National Archives of Bolivia, and is regularly invited to perform with choirs and orchestras such as the Bolivian National Symphony Orchestra. She is also invited to give masterclasses, lead workshops and perform in prisons. She trained notably at the CNSMD in Lyon, the École Normale de Musique de Paris, the Musikfest Erzgebirge and the Bachakademie in Stuttgart.
A curious and dynamic Franco-Bolivian artist, she enriches her artistic world through dance, playing several instruments, and a committed and philosophical reinterpretation of works of art, their historical contexts and their role in today’s society.
Nolwenn Le Guern
Viola da gamba, fiddle, rebab,
lute, lira da gamba
A musician with a passion for early music, Nolwenn Le Guern trained at the CNSMD in Lyon and earned a master’s degree focusing on the lyra viol and Alfonso Ferrabosco II. As a researcher and performer with a keen interest in the intersections between eras and styles, they collaborate with numerous renowned ensembles and perform around the world.
Nicolas Muzy
Lute, theorbo, baroque
guitar and guitar
Trained at the CNSMD in Lyon under Eugène Ferré, Nicolas Muzy is a specialist in early music instruments, having previously studied classical guitar and traditional music. As the founder of the Séléné ensemble, he collaborates with numerous early music ensembles in France and Spain.
Julien Pellegrini
Percussionist, computer music producer
A graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon and passionate about all forms of percussion, Julien Pellegrini performs with leading orchestras and explores the links between contemporary composition, improvisation and early music. A member of Alkymia since 2016 and of Proxima Centauri since 2024, he combines percussion with electroacoustics whilst teaching at the CRR in Bordeaux.
Kazuya Gunji
Harpsichord, organ
A winner of the Bruges International Musica Antiqua Competition, Kazuya Gunji trained in Japan and France under masters such as Masaaki Suzuki and Yves Rechsteiner. A renowned soloist and continuo player, he collaborates with prestigious ensembles and currently teaches at the CNSMD and the CRR in Lyon.
Almeno Gonçalves
Tenor
Originally from Portugal, Almeno Gonçalves trained in Porto and at the CNSMD in Lyon, and has performed with various ensembles including Musicatreize, Collegium Vocale Gent and Alkymia. His luminous and expressive tone has led him to perform on major European stages and collaborate with renowned conductors.
Aránzazu Nieto
Recorde
A graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon and a founding member of the Consort Brouillamini, Aránzazu Nieto has distinguished herself in several international competitions. A concert performer and teacher, she teaches at the CRR in Aix-en-Provence and performs with specialist ensembles such as Alkymia and Les Récits.
Antoine Bretonnière
Baritone, choir and orchestra conductor
A conductor and singer trained at the CNSMD in Paris, Antoine Bretonnière draws on his dual background to develop an expressive and intellectual approach to the voice. He performs a wide-ranging repertory, from Britten to Mozart, teaches choral conducting at the Pantin Conservatoire, and is the conductor of the ACJ National Youth Choir.
Alina Delgadillo Espinoza
Mezzo-soprano, Set designer
Originally from Bolivia, Alina Delgadillo Espinoza’s career spans singing, dance, architecture and stage design, having trained in Bolivia (UMSS), France (ENSA Nantes) and Switzerland (HEM Geneva). An active soloist on European stages, she performs in opera productions as well as with early music and contemporary music ensembles.
Camille Joutard
Soprano, choir and
orchestra conductor
A versatile artist, singer, choir director and conductor, Camille Joutard is a graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon and the École Normale de Musique de Paris. Active in the fields of concert performance, film and theatre, she collaborates with numerous vocal ensembles and dance companies, whilst also directing the vocal ensemble Aria de Paris.
Davy Cornillot
Ténor, piano
After studying piano, composition and choral conducting, Davy Cornillot went on to study singing at the CNSMD in Lyon. With a passion for early music, he has made it his speciality. He now performs both as a member of ensembles and as a soloist, notably with Alkymia, Les Arts Florissants, Pygmalion, Correspondances, Les Surprises, L’Escadron volant de la Reine…
Isaure Lavergne
Flûtes à bec, bassons
anciens, quena
A versatile instrumentalist, Isaure Lavergne explores a vast repertoire spanning from the Middle Ages to the 19th century on historical recorders and bassoons. A graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon and a qualified occupational therapist, she collaborates with several European ensembles and teaches at the CRR in Versailles, whilst also leading projects focused on musicians’ health.
Guillaume Frey
Baryton
A graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon, Guillaume Frey performs with prestigious ensembles such as Les Cris de Paris, La Tempête, Spirito and Alkymia, combining early, Romantic and contemporary music. Passionate about chamber music, he performs in France and abroad, whilst also holding a doctorate in dental surgery.
Nicolas Kuntzelmann
Countertenor
A young countertenor from Savoy, Nicolas Kuntzelmann trained at the CNSMD in Lyon and is already making a name for himself on Europe’s major stages. A winner of the Froville Competition, he performs with prestigious ensembles such as Les Arts Florissants, Vox Luminis, Alia Mens, Alkymia and Spirito.
Magali Perol-Dumora
Soprano
A graduate of the Geneva University of Music and Performing Arts (HEM), Magali Perol-Dumora performs regularly with Spirito, Les Janequins, and 4anima, performing a repertoire that ranges from Baroque to contemporary music. Passionate about teaching, she has been teaching voice at the Geneva Conservatory of Music since 2013.
Lucie Minaudier
Soprano
Trained in Lyon before attending the HEM in Geneva and then the KCB in Brussels, Lucie Minaudier is passionate about ensemble music. She performs regularly with Alkymia, Pygmalion, La Tempête, and the Namur Chamber Choir. She also co-founded the duo Louise (piano and voice, music by female composers) and is a member of the Aesthesis Vocal Quartet.
Marie Remandet
Soprano
Originally a violinist, she is now a soprano specializing in early music. A graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon, she now performs regularly with the Portuguese Baroque ensemble Capella Sanctae Crucis, as well as with Alkymia, Spirito, and La Française. She has had the pleasure of recording several albums with these ensembles.
Sebastian Delgado
Baryton
Trained in Lyon and Geneva, Sebastian Delgado has distinguished himself in a wide range of opera roles, from *Carmen* to *Così fan tutte*, as well as in the musical *Les Misérables* during a tour of China. An eclectic performer, he divides his career between opera, oratorio, and musical theater on stages across France and around the world.
Christophe Baska
Countertenor
A graduate of the CNSMD in Lyon, Christophe Baska has performed under the direction of W. Christie, Paul Agnew, N. Corti, Hervé Niquet, E. Haïm, J. Suhubiette, S. d’Hérin, F.E. Comte, A. Ismat, and M. Delgadillo-Espinoza. From 2013 to 2016, he toured for 111 performances in Golgota, a production by Bartabas, where he performed motets for solo voice by T.L. de Victoria on national stages and in theaters such as the Bordeaux Opera, the Rome Opera, and Sadler’s Wells in London.
Caroline Gesret
Alto
After studying economics and completing a master’s degree in cultural project management, she devoted herself to singing. She joined the Chœur Britten and has performed at venues including the Opéra de Lyon and the Théâtre du Châtelet. She thrives in chamber music and contemporary composition, founding the ensembles jet:zt! and 4anima, and collaborating with Dialogos on the medieval repertoire. Committed to new works, she regularly records and commissions new pieces.
Lou Renaud-Bailly
Percusions
After studying economics and earning a master’s degree in cultural project management, she devoted herself to singing. She joined the Chœur Britten and performed at venues including the Opéra de Lyon and the Théâtre du Châtelet. She found her calling in chamber music and contemporary composition, founding the ensembles jet:zt! and 4anima, and collaborating with Dialogos on the medieval repertoire. Committed to new works, she regularly records and commissions new compositions.
Lise Viricel
Soprano
After earning her master’s degree from the Opéra National de Lyon, Lise specialized in early music at the CNSMD in Lyon. Passionate about Baroque music, she has performed with the Capella Reial de Catalunya and Concerto Soave, and recorded *Parla, canta, respira*, a program centered on Barbara Strozzi, with her ensemble Le Stelle. In 2024, she premiered the musical Tori at the Cité de la Voix in Vézelay.
Vincent Laloy
Ténor
He discovered polyphonic singing with Régine Théodoresco, and his passion for the voice soon led him to join numerous professional ensembles, such as the Lyon Opera Chorus, Spirito—the Britten Choir, and Pygmalion, and to perform under the baton of conductors including Kasushi Ono, Emmanuel Krivine, Michel Corboz, Yutaka Sado, Raphaël Pichon, Ton Koopman, and Nicole Corti, notably at the Ambronay, La Chaise-Dieu, and Aix-en-Provence festivals. He sings with equal enthusiasm the role of the Evangelist in Bach’s St. John Passion, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, and Berio’s Cries of London.
Benjamin Lunetta
Countertenor
After studying violin and earning a bachelor’s degree in musicology, he trained as a countertenor. A graduate of the Maîtrise de Notre-Dame de Paris in 2000, he teaches voice at the Maîtrise de Notre-Dame de Paris and the Maîtrise des Bouches-du-Rhône, and directs educational projects at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence. Since 2012, he has been a professor at the Maîtrise de la cathédrale Saint-Jean de Lyon. As a singer, he performs with renowned ensembles such as Le Concert Spirituel and La Simphonie du Marais on national and international stages. As a soloist, he performs contemporary and classical works, notably at the Berlioz Festival and in Clairvaux.
