Immersed in a musical environment from the time he was born in 1996, Valentin Tournet started playing the viola da gamba at the age of 5. He was soon captivated by this instrument that he first learnt at the Issy-les-Moulineaux and Cergy-Pontoise (2001-2012) Conservatories and then at the Brussels and Paris Conservatories (2014-2018) under Christophe Coin and Philippe Pierlot. He was also advised by Jordi Savall. Thanks to his work and passion for his instrument, Valentin Tournet is the first violist nominated in the Revelations of Victoires de la Musique Classique, in 2022.
His discovery of orchestra at the Opéra de Paris in the Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine (Opéra de Paris’ Children’s Choir) programme (2007-2010) awakened his passion for direction, which he studied under Pierre Cao. In parallel, he met Philippe Herreweghe, who invited him to follow his work with his various ensembles.