French tuba player Michel Godard is one of the few gifted musicians equally at home in jazz, classical and ethnic music. His tuba performance is fantastic in every sense: his technical skill is astounding, his tone clear and warm, and his musicality leaves the listener surprised at how light a seemingly cumbersome instrument can sound.

In the classical field, Michel Godard has played and recorded with the “Orchestre National de France”, the ensemble “Musique Vivante”, the “Ensemble Intercontemporain”, “La Fenice”... and the brass quintet “Le Concert Arban”. He is featuring as soloist with orchestras, wind ensembles and is leading masterclasses all around the world.

In 1979, he picked up the ancestor of the tuba, the “serpent”, an instrument that looks just like that, a coiled snake. It’s wooden body gives it a characteristic warm and intense tone. With this “new” instrument, Michel Godard has taken yet another step in broadening his field of expression.

In the field of jazz, Michel Godard has played and recorded with internationally renowned musicians such as Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Marc Ducret, Kenny Wheeler, Enrico Rava, Ray Anderson.
His recent works involves projects in duo with Pierre Favre, “tubatuba” with American tuba player Dave Bargeron, his own band “Castel del Monte”, as well as recordings and performances with Lebanese oud player and composer Rabih Abou-Khalil.

As a composer, Michel Godard was comissioned by Radio France (“Penthés(il)ée II” September 2000), Donaueschingen-Südwestrundfunk (“de mémoire de tuba” 1999, “Tra la folla, mora, mormora” 1998, “Praeludium” 2001), Ministère de la Culture, Paris (“Bradamente aux aguets” 1998, “les enfants d’un paradis” 1996)...