François Thuillier

François Thuillier was born in 1967 and belongs to the new generation of tuba players, renowned for their knowledge, enquiring minds and inventive style and known for playing a wide range of jazz and improvisational music with symphonic orchestras.

He began his music career in Doullens and then, after various awards in the Music Conservatoires of Amiens, Lille and Roubaix, he was offered a place in the CNSM (Conservatoire de Paris) in 1986, where he was taught by F.Lelong and received 3 first prizes in Saxhorn, Tuba and in Chamber Music.

At the same time, he registered in the CIM (School of Jazz and Modern Music) in the Jazz Composition Department and continued his musical education with Ph.Legris, who was known for his work with contemporary music and musical theatre. He joined the ‘Gardiens de la Paix’ Harmony Orchestra in Paris in 1989 and since then has to lead a career as a member of the orchestra, soloist and Jazzman.

Also in 1989, he met Marc STECKAR and his TUBAPACK, with whom he has worked regularly over the past 12 years and together they have created many recordings.

As a brilliant soloist in all genres of music and a skilled improviser, he is playing and recording all over the world in various orchestras and ensembles. He is an author of educational books and his discography includes almost 200 CD with 25 to his name.

François Thuillier plays using a Yamaha Tuba, a Romera Brass mouthpiece (Spain) and Schlipfinger mutes (Austria).

He has been the artistic director for the Jazz Festival in Montinvillers since 2004 and the artistic director for the Brass Festival “Amiens joue des cuivres” since 2016, and is the artistic adviser for Feeling Musique in Paris.