A life devoted to music
Introduced to the piano and to improvisation as a child, Hugues Reiner also studied singing, violin and orchestral conducting. At 17, he joined the Jeunes de l’Orchestre de Paris founded by Daniel Barenboim, then the choirs of the Orchestre de Paris. At 22, the French Ministries of Culture and Defence entrusted him with creating and directing the Chœur d’Hommes de l’Armée française. Over the course of his career, he has conducted more than 1,500 concerts in over 40 countries and performed in major venues such as the Salle Pleyel, the Théâtre du Châtelet, UNESCO, Radio France and the Château de Versailles.
The orchestra as a school of leadership
For Hugues Reiner, conducting does not mean imposing. The conductor sets out a vision, clarifies the intention and creates the conditions for every musician to express their talent to the full. In his talks, he transposes this experience to management: coordinating different areas of expertise, developing listening skills and aligning energies around a shared goal. The orchestra becomes a concrete metaphor for the company: talent is individual, but success is collective.
Music at the heart of extreme situations
In 1993, in the midst of war, Hugues Reiner travelled to Sarajevo to help rebuild the Radio-Television Orchestra and perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, the “Eroica”, with Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian musicians. He also conducted a concert at the summit of Mont-Blanc in support of refugee children from the former Yugoslavia. These experiences shaped his vision of leadership: in times of uncertainty, you have to preserve meaning, build trust and keep alive the conviction that a shared endeavour remains possible.
Turning differences into a collective strength
For several decades, Hugues Reiner has placed music at the service of inclusion. He founded the Chœurs Résilience, under the patronage of Boris Cyrulnik, which welcome people with disabilities or in vulnerable situations, among others. One conviction guides his commitment: diversity only becomes an asset when everyone finds a genuine place in the group. His talks thus invite audiences to value what makes each person unique and to reconcile kindness, high standards and performance.
Composer, improviser and speaker
Hugues Reiner is also active as a composer. After his Requiem op. 21, he wrote, among other works, a symphony dedicated to Franco-American ties and the Requiem de Giverny. An improviser since childhood, he also hosts piano sessions in Giverny. A practice that illustrates an essential principle for organisations: knowing how to adapt to the unexpected without losing your bearings.
An outstanding orator who captivates even the most demanding audiences, Hugues Reiner wields a singularly offbeat sense of humour, backed by solid experience of collective life
