Orchestre Les Forces Majeures
Les Forces Majeures is a musical ensemble founded in 2015 at the Ferme de Villefavard in Limousin, under the impetus of conductor Raphaël Merlin. Bringing together musicians from leading chamber‑music groups and prestigious orchestras, as well as young talents graduating from top conservatories, the ensemble stands out for its artistic openness and its commitment to diversity, solidarity, and conviviality.
At the heart of Les Forces Majeures’ mission is the desire to make music accessible to everyone, especially in rural areas or regions far from major cultural centres. The ensemble innovates by rethinking performance formats and multiplying original initiatives: musical promenades, workshops for young audiences, encounters in remote areas, indoor and outdoor concerts, cine‑concerts, and even cycling tours. These itinerant tours—blending classical and popular music—create opportunities to meet diverse audiences in a warm, inclusive atmosphere.
The ensemble’s ecological and social commitment is expressed in particular through its cycling tours, which promote low‑impact travel and environmental responsibility. By travelling through the countryside, Les Forces Majeures bring music to places where it is rarely performed, investing local theatres, community centres, and public spaces, and fostering new connections between artists and local communities.
The Accordez vos vélos! tour, for example, enabled the ensemble to present thirteen concerts across the Centre–Val de Loire region before heading to Île‑de‑France for a festive musical celebration in La Défense. These projects illustrate the ensemble’s ability to bring people together through music while raising awareness of environmental and social issues.
The Société Générale Corporate Foundation has been supporting Les Forces Majeures since 2024.
Photo credit: ©Vincent Ducard