Christian Lauba

From 2004 to 2007, Lauba was artistic director of the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine and from 2004 to 2006, also its music director. In the 2007/2008 season he was composer in residence with the Orchestre symphonique de Mulhouse, where his New York Concerto (a triple concerto for saxophone, cello and piano) received its world premiere.

He has given master classes in composition and lectured at many universities including Bowling-Green in Ohio, Winnipeg in Canada, and the University of Maryland as well as at several European conservatories including those of Milan, Madrid, Lisbon (Conservatório Nacional de Lisboa), and Amsterdam. He chaired the jury of the Gaudeamus International Composers Award in 1996.

Lauba won First Prize for composition in the class of Michel Fuste-Lambezat and the Medal of Honor of the City of Bordeaux. In 1994 he won first prize in the Berlin International Composition Competition (Institut für Neue Musik), and his Neuf études pour saxophones (Nine études for saxophones), commissioned by Jean-Marie Londeix and composed between 1992 and 1994, won the SACEM prize in composition. He has received commissions both from the French state and from a variety of contemporary classical music ensembles (Diotima Quartet, Cuarteto Casals, Percussion de Strasbourg, Belcea Quartet, Ensemble Court-Circuit, Ictus Ensemble, and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble) as well as from larger orchestras, including the Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, Orchestre Poitou-Charentes, Orchestre Régional de Cannes, Orchestre Colonne, MDR Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, and the Opéra National de Bordeaux.

Lauba was born in Sfax, Tunisia. His family later settled in Bordeaux, France, where he studied languages at the University of Bordeaux and music at the Conservatory of Bordeaux with composer Michel Fusté-Lambezat. Early in his compositional career, he also worked with saxophonist Jean-Marie Londeix. In 1993, he was appointed professor of analysis at the Conservatory. It was here that he composed pieces that had extended techniques for the saxophone including slap tonguing, circular breathing, multiphonics, and the altissimo register. He has also composed literature for other solo instruments as well as ensembles.

Christian Lauba (born 26 July 1952) is a Tunisian born French composer and teacher, especially noted for his compositions for saxophone. His compositions often incorporate the music of his native North Africa as well as Japanese influences. He sometimes composes under the name of Jean Matitia, particularly for jazz and rag music.