Désiré Dondeyne

Désiré Louis Corneille Dondeyne was born on July 21, 1921, in Laon, France. He studied at the National Conservatory in Lille and the Conservatoire National Supérieur in Paris (Paris Conservatory) under Tony Aubin. From 1939 to 1953, he served as a solo clarinetist with the Musique de l’air. In 1954, Dondeyne became chief conductor of La Musique des Gardiens de la Paix in Paris, premiering and recording significant works for wind ensembles by composers such as Darius Milhaud and Kurt Weill. He also composed numerous pieces for orchestra and wind ensemble, including Suite pour 4 trombones and In Memoriam Stravinsky. He passed away on February 12, 2015.