Franck Dansaert was a Diamond Prize Winner (D3 - Composition Category) at the 2025 World Classical Music Awards
Biography
“A fine work of art – music, dance, painting, story – has the power to silence the chatter in the mind and lift us to another place” (Robert McKee).
Franck Dansaert, a French music composer, is gradually making a name for himself on the music scene with his unique blend of classical music and film music.
Currently based in Paris and Hong Kong, Franck mainly composes music for symphony orchestra and choir, but also incorporates modern instruments such as electric guitars and synthesizers. Franck's music has already captured many listeners with its ability to transport us to other places, evoking a range of emotions from joy to sadness. His compositions are inspired by the classical music of great names such as WA Mozart and Beethoven, as well as contemporary film music composers such as Ramin Djawadi, John Williams or Hans Zimmer.
His music has been performed by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of the Czech Republic (CNSO). He has also recorded several tracks at the Studio de la Seine (including “Sorry”), the Ferber studio or in his studio in Paris, with several tracks with the talented singers Lara Baini or Chiara Renaud. Franck has composed 14 symphonies of which the nº6 will be created by the Italian Philharmonic Orchestra in May 2025 in the salla Verdi of Milano.
Franck Dansaert's love for music began at a young age, and he has since dedicated himself to perfecting his craft with years of practice and study. "Music is a universal language that has the power to connect people from all walks of life," said Franck. "I strive to create music that is both emotional and accessible, and I'm constantly looking for new ways to push the boundaries of traditional orchestral music.".
Can you introduce yourself and share how you got into music?
My career has primarily been in strategy consulting within the automotive industry, not music. As a child, I refused to learn piano. One day, my mother rented a piano for herself, prompting me to start playing and composing music at age 11. Influenced by Mozart, Beethoven, Samuel Barber, Ennio Morricone, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, John Williams I improvised on the piano for almost 30 years. After selling my consulting company twelve years ago, I dedicated my free time to studying Harmony, Counterpoint, Orchestration, and Composition, significantly improving my skills.
Could you tell us more about your award-winning work? For instance, how did you prepare it, bring it to life, or any interesting stories behind the scenes?
"Sorry" is a piece about expressing regret for actions taken towards a love partner and wishing to change those past behaviors : “(…) for every tears that fell from your eyes, I am sorry.” The music is a counterpoint exercise for five voices (2 sopranos, 1 alto, 1 baritone bass, and bass) that was started several years ago as practice. It has been revised multiple times but not completed. The opportunity arose to have talented singers record the music at Studio de la Seine, and they agreed, finding the work interesting.
What do you believe defines a great composer, and how do you incorporate your unique style into your music?
For me, a great composer is someone who grants themselves complete freedom to express their emotions through music. However, for music to achieve perfection, it requires mastery of numerous techniques, continuous learning from the works of great masters, both past and present, years of practices and discipline, and the ability to forget everything during the composition process in order to innovate. The rules should only be recalled when the music does not work— not the other way around.
Can you recall a memorable moment from your career that had a significant impact on you?
My music mentor is a highly renowned film and theater composer in France. We meet only rarely—two to three times a year—for long dinners, but each time, my mentor takes the time to listen to one of my latest works and offers me precise and infinitely valuable advice. Some of this advice has taken me years to fully grasp. You need someone to show you the next door to open. Each dinner is a memorable moment, leaving a profound impact on me and my music.
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank (such as mentors, supporters or other team members)?
The World Classical Music Competition is an incredible opportunity to share one’s work with the community and receive valuable feedback. Too often, composers find themselves alone, facing a blank page and filling it with notes in solitude. This prize signifies the progress I’ve made through years of discipline. While I know I still have a long journey ahead to reach my ideal in music, composing is already a source of immense joy. I would like to express my gratitude to my mentor and extend my heartfelt thanks to Chiara Renaud, Nayla Charara, Lara Baini, Christophe Maffei, Marc Perez, and Fred Lafage for their fantastic work on “Sorry”. A special thank you goes to Anthony Armor, an exceptional conductor, who has given me the incredible opportunity to have my symphonic works performed by renowned orchestras in recent years.
