Emmanuel Pesnot
About Emmanuel Pesnot
After 15 years at Radio France, I discovered a passion for singing and music at the age of 30. I received comprehensive training in solfège, classical singing, and early music at the Conservatory of Tours, and continued advanced studies with Sophie Hervé, Myriam De Aranjo, and Christiane Sansonetti. As a choir conductor, I directed vocal ensembles and prepared choirs for renowned conductors such as Jean-Marc Cochereau, Udo Reinemann, and Pierre-Marie Dizier.
A turning point came with the exploration of body-voice work and world music. In 2000, I completed an intensive program at the Studio des Variétés on “Vocal Pedagogy in Contemporary Music,” learning from experts in physiology, acoustics, psychology, and experienced vocal coaches. Two key influences—Jean-Yves Pénafiel and Martina Catella—shaped my philosophy: singing is embodied, and it is a dialogue between the singer and the listener.
These principles guided my professional journey. In 2002, with my brother Gilles Pesnot and colleagues, I co-founded La Boîte Vocale in Tours, a vocal school that grew to 250 students and trained many professionals. I also worked with artists from the Glotte-trotters collective, studied Italian folk singing with Lucilla Galeazzi and French traditional singing with Evelyne Girardon, and deepened my knowledge of vocal mechanics with Jean-Blaise Roch and Hélène Sage.
Today, I work as a vocal coach across Occitanie, Brittany, and occasionally Paris, leading workshops at festivals such as Les Suds à Arlesand coaching groups and artists including La Malcoiffée, Du Bartàs, Lo Barrut, Tan que li siam, M’Braia, Laurent Cavalié, Barba Loutig, Sylvain Girô, and more. I also run annual workshops with Pierrick Hardy, Jean-Jacques Fauthoux, and Jean-François Robineau, and recently launched a trainer program, Passeurs de chant dans les musiques populaires.