2016: Grand8 was founded.

The Grand8 ensemble is built on the foundation of musical improvisation, performing as a large ensemble without a conductor. A collaborative project bringing together 15 musicians, all of whom are passionate about a certain sense of freedom. A musical ensemble that takes pleasure in choosing the journey rather than the destination is taking shape. What follows is a 10-year journey marked by encounters, exchanges, and creation—a series of spaces and escapades dedicated to musical and transdisciplinary improvisation. Movement by movement, the musical space opens up to dance and other artistic practices. In the spirit of this momentum, poetry, calligraphy, and writing are invited to join the conversation.  

Today, in 2026, we’re marking the group’s tenth anniversary and celebrating the unpredictable journey that defines the Grand8 concept!

As part of the Grand Vertige festival, the APNÉES Ensemble from Grenoble has been invited to perform a large-scale concert. 

Consistently exploring non-idiomatic free improvisation with large ensembles, APNÉES creates immersive works—often long-form and site-specific—through the use of repurposed instruments and extended instrumental techniques, the development of a shared intuitive language, and active listening. Driven by constant questioning of the practice and aesthetics of free improvisation and the experiential aspects of listening and performance, the Ensemble draws inspiration from the intersections between sound experiments and the listening experiences of places, environments, and territories.

This concert featuring two ensembles will be illuminated in real time by artist Véronique Gougat, offering a preview of Grand8’s upcoming production (Cité de la Musique, November 2026).