Marcel Couraud

Marcel Couraud (born October 20, 1912 in Limoges, † 14 September 1986) was a French conductor.

Couraud studied organ with André Marchal in Paris where he attended the Ecole Normale de Musique. He also took courses in composition with Nadia Boulanger and conducting with Charles Munch.

In 1944 he founded the vocal ensemble, Marcel Couraud, with whom he performed alongside chansons and madrigals of the Renaissance period (including Orlando di Lasso and Claudio Monteverdi) and works by contemporary composers such as Trois Petites Liturgies de la présence divine Olivier Messiaen and recorded. He led the ensemble until 1954 and then conducted the Bach Choir and Bach Orchestra Stuttgart.

From 1967, he was director of broadcasting the ORTF choir. From its members, he formed the following year, Groupe Vocal de France, with whom he contemporary works such as Cinq Rechants of Messiaen, the Dodécaméron by Ivo Malec, Récitatif, air et variations of Gilbert Amy, Nuits by Iannis Xenakis and the Sonata à douze by Betsy Jolas performed.