Notes Between Two Shores

A poetic journey where music becomes a bridge between cultures and people. The French American Cultural Days (FACD) return to San Francisco in 2026, bringing together artists from both sides of the Atlantic for a day of performances, exhibitions, workshops and cultural encounters across the city. Organized by Culture Without Border and partners, this new edition celebrates dialogue, artistic innovation and the power of creation to build bridges between communities.

This year, FACD opens its doors wider than ever. Tickets are already available for 10dollars and donations to support the festival’s educational and cultural programming can be made directly on our website. In that spirit of openness and shared creativity, we are thrilled to talk about the French trumpeter Michel Jacquot .

"The truth is that music imposed itself on me"

Michel Jacquot

Michel’s artistic voice is unmistakably his own. His work with Récitals Nomades and his belief that music belongs everywhere (on stage, in the street, in intimate spaces or monumental ones) immediately resonated with the mission of FACD. When we shared with him our vision of art, he answered with sincerity, poetry, and a passion that reflects the heart of Culture Without Border.

When asked why he became an artist, Michel responded with a disarming simplicity. “I never really thought about it. I didn’t come from a family of musicians or artists. The truth is that music imposed itself on me. It felt like the only way to share something I had inside me. A language that goes beyond words, a space of total freedom where I can express the intimate and reach the universal.”

For him, the trumpet is not just an instrument. It is a voice, sometimes powerful, sometimes fragile, always human. “Through my art, I try to express sensitivity, strength and human vulnerability. I want each note to carry an emotion, each silence to hold a memory. I love when music creates a bridge between souls, when it speaks directly to the heart without filters or barriers.”

Follow his artistic journey on Instagram: instagram.com/michel_jct

"I want to share my personality: sincere, vibrant,

full of emotion"

“I have always admired American culture, its energy, its freedom, its ability to mix influences. This event embodies that idea of dialogue between cultures. It’s a chance to share my voice as a French artist while discovering the vitality of the American scene. I can’t wait to create new projects and meet people from different backgrounds.”

More than a performance, Michel sees his participation as a meeting.

“I want to share my personality: sincere, vibrant, full of emotion. Beyond notes and music, this is a human experience. A moment where two stories and two ways of seeing the world meet. I love being where people don’t expect classical music to be. I want to show that it is alive, nomadic, accessible, and far more expansive than tuxedos and concert halls.”

Michel’s vision reflects the spirit of Culture Without Border: inclusive, innovative, and rooted in meaningful exchange. His curiosity for contemporary creation, his desire to perform in unexpected places and his belief in music as a universal language make him an ideal ambassador for our values.