Born into a family of musicians, Judith Godeberge started playing the violin at the age of 7. When
she was 15 she switched to the viola, attracted by its rich, deep sound. She studied under Sabine
Toutain and Louis Fima at the Paris Conservatoire Supérieur-CRR.
While studying for a degree in Musicology at the Sorbonne, she also obtained a Diploma in Musical
Studies* at the Boulogne-Billancourt Regional Conservatoire. Then, she completed a Cycle Professionnel**, with Tasso Adamopoulos in Bordeaux and Pierre-Henri Xuereb in Gennevilliers,
where she also obtaine the Prix de Perfectionnement***. She also received valuable advice from
Serge Collet and Yuri Bashmet during masterclasses.
Meeting Maestro Sergiu Celibidache in 1996 had a lasting effect on her, and she decided to take
his masterclasses in chamber music and phenomenology of music, which were taught in France by
his assistant at the Munich Philharmonic, Konrad von Abel.
She has been invited to play in France and abroad (Morocco, Italy, Germany, Mexico) in numerous
orchestras (Pasdeloup, Morocco Philharmonic, European Regions) and chamber music ensembles
(Quatuor, Lunaria, Duo Constance), and has also participated in various festivals such as the
Festival Musical d’Automne, Les Envolées Lyriques, and the Rheingau Musik Festival.
Her inborn curiosity about other musical styles has led her to work with the medieval music
Ensemble Kantika and Atelier Porte Soleil (readings accompanied by music), and also to train in
improvisation, with Hélène Breschand (Ensemble Laborintus), and tango, with Juanjo Mosalini.
She is currently training in baroque music at the Vallée de Chevreuse Conservatoire.
As musician and teacher, Judith has also had a long term interest in body work, through dance and
theatre, notably using the Cléret method, which is based on observation of sensations and
breathing.
She currently teaches viola, orchestra and chamber music at the Ecole PRIZMA in Boulogne-
Billancourt, and viola at the Malakoff Conservatoire (92 Dpt).
Translator’s notes
*the Diplôme d’études musicales (Diploma in Musical Studies) is the highest diploma awarded by
the regional and departmental Conservatoires.
**the Cycle Professionnel is a vocational training program in France offered in many artistic
disciplines
***the Prix de Perfectionnement is the diploma after the Diplôme d’études musicales