Classique & Jazz in Gordes: Charity Concert for Sourire à la Vie

The Rotary Club de Gordes is organizing a charity concert titled Classique & Jazz in Gordes on August 13, 2026, to benefit the association Sourire à la Vie. The event takes place at 21:00 at the Théâtre des Terrasses de Gordes, featuring a program that transitions from classical music to jazz performed by local and international artists, according to provence-mag.fr.

Proceeds from the concert will support Sourire à la Vie, an organization that provides comprehensive support for children battling cancer. According to provence-mag.fr, the association has operated for over 20 years, offering psychological support, adapted physical activity, nutrition, and educational projects starting from the moment of diagnosis.

The organization has established the Phare des Sourires and the Château Sourire, which provence-mag.fr describes as the first support and respite care centers in France approved by the Agence Régionale de Santé. These facilities provide secure environments where children can recover strength and interact with peers facing similar medical challenges.

Program and Featured Performers

The evening is structured around the collaboration of two Gordes-based pianists, Jean-Marc Pont Marchesi and Jean-Christophe Klotz. The performance begins with a duo featuring flutist Lara Luxcey and pianist Jean-Marc Pont Marchesi, according to provence-mag.fr.

This opening segment focuses on a repertoire including works by Claude Bolling, Astor Piazzolla, and Poulenc. The selection is intended to create a dialogue between classical composition and the spirit of jazz, according to the same source.

The second half of the program features Jean-Christophe Klotz and the Kameleon Groove & Jazz Machine. This ensemble will perform a mix of soul, jazz, and Brazilian rhythms, accompanied by international jazz singer Valérie Belinga, according to provence-mag.fr.

Artist Backgrounds

The performers bring a mix of academic and international experience to the event. Lara Luxcey serves as a professor at the Apt conservatory, while Jean-Marc Pont Marchesi is a concert pianist with an international career and a teaching position at the Conservatoire de Paris, according to provence-mag.fr.

Valérie Belinga, a Cameroonian jazz singer, has collaborated with several high-profile artists throughout her career. Provence-mag.fr lists her past collaborators as including Angélique Kidjo, Manu Dibango, Youssou N’Dour, Cesaria Evora, Claude Nougaro, Yannick Noah, Richard Bona, and Lokua Kanza.

The Kameleon Groove & Jazz Machine consists of the following musicians, according to provence-mag.fr:

• Jean-Christophe Klotz on piano
• Vittorio Silvestri on guitar
• Ruben Klotz on saxophone
• Lilian Bencini on double bass
• Cédrick Bec on drums

The event serves as a direct fundraising effort for the medical and psychological services provided by Sourire à la Vie. Every ticket purchased contributes to the association’s ongoing support for children in treatment, according to provence-mag.fr.