Lydie Thonnard

Based in Brussels for the past ten years, Lydie Thonnard is a multi-faceted musician! Her love of music began in childhood and led her to the Royal Conservatory of Liège, where she studied the flute with Toon Fret. During those years, she devoted herself particularly to chamber music and developed a taste for improvisation.

Curious and constantly seeking new experiences, she loves to draw inspiration from and discover new cultures and musical practices. She has participated in various projects in Ecuador, Morocco, India and Japan, continuing her training under a variety of musical influences (B.C. Manjunath, Keyvan Chemirani, Efrén López, Henri Tournier, Philippe Laloy, Marie-Sophie Talbot, Manu Hermia, Bo Van der Werf, Raphaëlle Brochet, etc.).

Passionate about rhythm and body percussion, she has participated in various workshops in Europe alongside Keith Terry, Leela Petronio, Jep Melendez, Barbatuques, Santi Serratosa, Rémi Leclerc and many others. She is also a graduate of the Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, where she completed a bachelor's degree in ‘rhythms and rhythmicity’ before becoming a teacher in the same department. In February 2025, she co-produced the ‘Percussive Dance Festival’ in Brussels with Leela Petronio (FR). The event welcomed around a hundred participants interested in vocal practice and body percussion. Six international contributors were part of the artistic team.

Lydie Thonnard plays bass, alto, C and piccolo flutes in various projects, including Auster Loo with Simon Leleux (world/alternative), the Ensemble Vibrations (flute septet) and the contemporary jazz quartet Rec1_Sat1_ (L. Thonnard flutes, D. Thonnard electric guitar, G. Ruelland electric bass, H. Pierson drums). She also sings in the female vocal trio Les Chanteuses Anonymes and in the Tomassenko project, Ze pocket koral. 

Since autumn 2024, a new duo has been in the making alongside Benjamin Macke, the accordionist who introduced her to the foot bass. In this ongoing project, Lydie and Benjamin bring a wealth of poetry to a very simple universe, where the connection with nature and our roots is evident. 

In spring 2025, Lydie will present L'évidence des nuages, a solo project whose repertoire consists of revisited traditional pieces and compositions. Flutes, vocals, body percussion and foot bass intertwine... music to listen to in concert or dance to at a ball!

Alongside her musical projects, she shares her passion through teaching and often leads workshops on voice, creativity and physical rhythm practice.