A native from France, Dr. Jeanne Hourez has appeared as soloist with such orchestras as the Orchestre Symphonique de Cannes, the Orchestre Symphonique Azuréen and the Orchestre Philharmonique des Musiciens de Montréal. She performs recitals in Europe, North America and Asia.

Jeanne has been a strong advocate for more inclusive music, exploring the repertoire of French female composers of the Belle-Époque period and 20th century. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on the interdisciplinary connections in Marguerite Canal’s music for piano. Her research has been selected to be presented at many festivals and conferences, such as CMS, MTNA, Music by women festival, SHE: Festival of Women in Music, and TMTA.

An active and versatile chamber musician, Jeanne co-founded the Ensemble Benzaiten, the repertoire of which uniquely blends mandolin and piano. In June 2018, the ensemble released a CD dedicated to Schubert. They performed at the French National radio France Musique and toured in Europe and North America. Her second CD is dedicated to art songs by Lazar Weiner, and was recorded with Bass-Baritone Mikhail Smigelski under Ladoga Records. Her third CD, also produced by Ladoga Records, highlights Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.

Jeanne forms the duo Swann with French violinist Katia Darisio and is the pianist and co-artistic director of SoundMap Ensemble, a contemporary chamber orchestra. 

Dr. Hourez earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance (with a Teaching Assistantship) at the University of Texas at Austin, under the tutelage of Anton Nel. She is a graduate from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris and she holds a Master’s degree from the University of Montreal where she studied alongside Professor Dang Thai Son.

• Marguerite Canal 
• French Impressionism, Belle-Époque
• Female composers 
• New Music 
• Inclusion & Equity in the Piano Curriculum