Editing André Campra (section)

==Biography==
Campra was the son of Giovanni Francesco Campra, a surgeon and violinist from [[Graglia]], Italy, and Louise Fabry, from [[Aix-en-Provence]]. His father was his first music teacher. He was baptised on 4 December 1660 in the [[Église de la Madeleine (Aix-en-Provence)|Église de la Madeleine]] in Aix.<ref>Maurice Barthélémy, ''André Campra – 1660–1744'', Arles: Actes Sud, 1995</ref> He became a choirboy in the [[Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur (Aix-en-Provence)|Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur]] there in 1674 and commenced ecclesiastical studies four years later. He was reprimanded by his superiors in 1681 for having taken part in theatrical performances without permission, but was nevertheless made a chaplain on 27 May of that year.

He served as ''maître de musique'' (music director) at the cathedrals of [[Arles]] and [[Toulouse]] and then, from 1694 to 1700, served in a similar capacity at the cathedral of [[Notre-Dame de Paris]]. Campra added violins to the performance of sacred music at the Paris cathedral, a controversial innovation in an era when they were considered ''street instruments''. He began to compose for the theatre in 1697 and published some theatrical compositions under his brother's name to protect his reputation with church authorities. In 1700 he gave up his post at Notre-Dame and devoted himself to theatrical music with critical success. By 1705 he was such a musical celebrity that he became a target for negative articles in the press. In 1720, he adopted the composition of sacred music as his only profession.

Although Campra had obtained critical success he lacked financial security. In 1722 he was engaged briefly as ''maître de musique'' by the [[Louis Armand II, Prince of Conti|Prince of Conti]]. After the death of the regent [[Philippe II, Duke of Orléans|Philippe d'Orléans]] in December 1723, Campra became ''sous-maître'' at the Royal Chapel in Versailles. In 1730 he became the ''Inspecteur Général'' at the [[Académie Royale de Musique|Opéra]] (Royal Academy of Music).

He died in [[Versailles, Yvelines|Versailles]] on 29 June 1744 at the age of 83.