During the concert of the 2025 Coupe Mondiale Winners Concert, Nathalie Boucheix was presented the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Merit Award. This award is presented in recognition of “outstanding contribution to the international accordion movement”.
Nathalie Boucheix is a celebrated accordionist and co-founder of CNIMA (Centre National et International de Musique et d’Accordéon), established in 1995 alongside her mentor and teacher Jacques Mornet.
Her musical journey is marked by prestigious successes, including victories at the Trophée Mondial and Klingenthal competitions in 1994, and the Médard Ferrero and Sacem Francis Baxter prizes in 1993. Boucheix has performed at major French galas with icons like André Verchuren and Yvette Horner, and she continues to give international recitals.
As CNIMA’s director and lead pedagogue, she specializes in instrumental technique and musical interpretation, teaching Mornet’s innovative method that treats the accordion as a wind instrument. Boucheix also travels globally to lead masterclasses, shaping generations of top-tier musicians.
Her dedication has helped CNIMA earn a reputation as one of the world’s finest accordion schools. CNIMA students have enjoyed multiple successes, including having won a record 126 awards at international competitions.
CNIMA will celebrate its 30th birthday on the 3-5 October 2025 with a weekend of famous French accordionists that CNIMA trained. Special guests, including Félicien Brut, Vincent Lhermet, and JB Baudin, former students who have become leading figures in the world of accordion music.
