Brilliant French conductor Guillaume Tourniaire is currently enjoying a meteoric rise onto the international conducting stage. Born in Provence, Guillaume Tourniaire studied piano and conducting at the Geneva Conservatory, during which time he won the first prize in the international Gabriel Fauré piano competition. His professional career started as artistic director of the vocal ensemble, Le Motet de Genève from 1993, Chorusmaster at the Grand Théâtre de Genève from 1996, and choir director of the Teatro la Fenice in Venice from 2001–2002. This early apprenticeship has given him a rare depth and experience with the opera and vocal repertoire, and this, combined with his talent and passion for rare and previously unperformed music, has made him one of the world's most sought after conductors. In 2006 he made his debut at the Prague State Opera, conducting Bernstein’s Candide, and became the company’s Musical Director in 2007. In 2012 he was appointed  Artistic Director of Ensemble Vocal Lausanne.