Sacha Bernardson
Château Chariot is a musical creation by composer Sacha Bernardson, in collaboration with harpist Elise Esther.
The performance revolves around the concept of ‘sound naps’; through an immersive noise art installation, the two artists craft soporific melodies using celestial soundscapes. Vocal melodies and harp sequences unfold through a veil of delicate effects, over a bed of digital drones, all tinged with the sounds of crystal bowls, bells, autoharp and flute.
The sound installation that envelops the performance sometimes transports us into the hull of a wooden boat sailing across the ocean, to the top of a tree on a spring morning, or to the edge of a fire in the depths of winter. Château Chariot is a reference to Thomas Malory’s book *Le Morte d’Arthur*, a collection of tales that would become one of the principal sources for Arthurian chronicles. In it, Chariot is described as the castle of Morgan le Fay, Lancelot’s prison, resembling a strange fortress.
Elise Esther has been a classical pianist from a very young age, having trained at the conservatoires in Dunkirk and Roubaix.
She subsequently developed a passion for the Celtic harp and created a show which she produced as an artist-in-residence in Carcassonne. There, she discovered medieval music, South American music and traditional Celtic music, all of which would fuel her creativity. Fascinated by street arts, she took this show on tour throughout France for four years, performing in historic locations such as Rocamadour, Sarlat-La-Canedat and Collioure...
Elise Esther has always been driven by a deep need for freedom, and her two albums – which she composed and self-produced entirely – represent a fight for free music: free in expression, emotion and movement.
She furthered her musical projects and developed her professional career by moving to Toulouse in 2018. She has performed in various ensembles, including duos (harp and cello, harp and guitar) and trios.
A creative and well-rounded artist, she has composed and self-produced two instrumental albums from start to finish, creating a personal and intimate world. Elise is currently working on two new albums: one featuring harp and vocal compositions, and another of free improvisations on solo harp.
In the vast world of music, Sacha is a collector with a particular fondness for meditative music: Indian drones, 1970s New Age ambient and the current Californian serene music movement never cease to pique his curiosity.
Amidst pop projects, film scores and theatre music, Sacha creates a contemplative space with a celestial atmosphere.
This project centres on vocal improvisations, filtered through a multitude of effects. Sounds of nature, synthetic pads and the occasional appearance of stringed instruments – harps or autoharps – as well as crystal bowls, all come together to create a dreamlike, hazy landscape.
Live, Château Chariot is not quite a concert; it is a performance with a narrative reminiscent of fairy tales, inviting the audience into a gentle drowsiness.
On stage: Sacha has a desk with a keyboard and a MIDI controller, a laptop and a microphone for vocals.
He also has an autoharp, bells and eight crystal bowls. Elise has a microphone for vocals, a Celtic harp and a transverse flute.
The instruments and vocals are amplified via a sound card connected to the laptop, with the sound output fed through two monitor speakers.
Six small Bluetooth devices, each with its own audio player, are distributed around the venue to broadcast the soundscape throughout the performance.
All this equipment forms part of the set-up; the entire installation is self-contained, including the cables.
In some cases, it may be necessary to provide speakers and props.
For example, rugs placed between the two performers and around the space, to allow the audience to lie down, or perhaps even a bed for the staging. A table and extension leads must be provided.