Caroline Bugala Quartet - Festival Éclats d'Émail 2026

Caroline Bugala speaks of her violin as if it were her voice—a voice that allows her to transcend the limitations of words. Her early love for Romantic music and Gypsy music led her to cross paths with such iconic musicians as Roby Lakatos, Maxim Vengerov, the soprano Caroline Casadesus, and the Manouche musicians of the Am Ketenes ensemble. While she was participating in a masterclass led by Didier Lockwood, the maestro took notice of the young student and decided to take her under his wing. He served as her guide as she learned the conventions of African-American music in the years following their meeting.

After several years of playing as a sideman, the desire to be a bandleader—so she could choose her own repertoire and perform her own compositions—was strong. The Quartet was born.