Musical Encounters around the Piano

Classical Music by the Sea

Since 2022, the Musical Encounters around the Piano have illuminated the small seaside resort of Cayeux-sur-Mer every July, offering the Baie de Somme a classical music festival of remarkable artistic quality. Founded by pianist Eulalie Steens and pianist Didier Castell-Jacomin, this festival has established itself in just a few editions as an unmissable musical event on the Picardy coast.

The Chapelle des Marins, a Musical Gem

The concerts take place in the Chapelle des Marins, a heritage building facing the sea, whose natural acoustics and contemplative atmosphere make it an ideal venue for chamber music. This intimate setting, where the audience is close to the musicians, creates a rare intensity of musical experience, far from impersonal large concert halls. The first edition in 2022 was held in the Saint-Pierre church before the Chapelle des Marins became the festival's emblematic venue.

World-Class Artists

Despite its youth, the festival attracts leading performers. The first edition made a strong impression with the participation of Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova, a world-renowned artist, and Borys Fedorov in a piano duo with Didier Castell-Jacomin. Over the years, the festival has hosted artists such as Elena Nesterenko, Les Violons de France, Vardan Mamikonian, and Éric Muller, presenting a repertoire ranging from Bach and Haydn to 20th-century French composers like Darius Milhaud.

Four Exceptional Evenings

The festival unfolds over four evenings from Thursday to Sunday, each offering a different program. The concerts, which begin at 8 PM, highlight the piano in all its facets: solo recitals, duos and trios, chamber music with strings or winds. The programming, carefully curated by the founders, blends major works from the repertoire with rarer pieces, offering both seasoned music lovers and newcomers a rich and varied panorama of classical music.

Cayeux-sur-Mer, Between Beach and Music

The choice of Cayeux-sur-Mer as the host town for this festival is no coincidence. This town with its iconic beach huts and the longest boardwalk in Europe possesses an authentic and preserved charm, far from the hustle and bustle of large seaside resorts. Festival-goers can spend their days strolling along the pebble beach, birdwatching at the Hâble d'Ault, or taking the Baie de Somme steam train, before letting the music carry them away in the evening.