Born in Chambéry in 1976, Renaud Capuçon studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with Gérard Poulet and Veda Reynolds, and later with Thomas Brandis in Berlin and Isaac Stern. Invited by Claudio Abbado in 1998 as konzertmeister of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, he continued his musical education with Pierre Boulez, Seiji Ozawa, Daniel Barenboim and Franz Welser-Moest. In 2000 he was nominated "Rising Star" and "New talent of the Year" (French Victoires de la Musique), in 2005 "Soliste instrumental de l'année", also by the French Victoires de la Musique, and in 2006 "Prix Georges Enesco" (Sacem).

He is collaborating with the most important orchestras and conductors : Berlin Philharmonic under Bernard Haitink or David Robertson, Dresden Staatskapelle and Daniel Harding, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and Kurt Masur, Orchestre de Paris and Wolfgang Sawallisch or Christoph Eschenbach, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Myung-Whun Chung, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Semyon Bychkov, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel or Andris Nelsons, Philadelphia Orchestra and Charles Dutoit, Sankt Petersburg Philharmonic, State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia and Vladimir Yurowsky, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Robin Ticciati…

He recently performed with : Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Bernard Haitink, Los Angeles Philharmonic/Daniel Harding, Boston Symphony/Christoph von Dohnanyi, Philharmonia Orchestra/Juraj Valculha, Seoul Philharmonic/Myung-Whun Chung, Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nezet-Seguin, WDR Cologne/Jukka Pekka Saraste, Orchestre National de France/Daniele Gatti…

He gave the World premiere of the Volin concert by Pascla Dusapin with the WDR Köln as well as the Brahms/Faure chamber music cycle in 5 concerts at the Musikverein in Vienna.

Renaud Capuçon plays chamber music with Martha Argerich, Hélène Grimaud, Nicholas Angelich, Frank Braley, Yefim Bronfman, Myung-Whun Chung, Yuri Bashmet, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Mischa Maisky, Truls Mork, Maria Joao Pires, Mikhail Pletnev, Gérard Caussé, Jean-Yves Thibaudet. He is invited by the most prestigious festivals : Gstaad, Hollywood Bowl, La Roque d'Anthéron, Luzern, Lugano, Menton, Salzburg, Saint-Denis, Rheinghau, Verbier…

He is the musical director of the Easter Festival in Aix-en-Provence that he founded in 2013.

Discography for EMI/Virgin Classics : Mendelssohn and Haydn trios and the Triple Concerto by Beethoven with Martha Argerich, Schubert recital, Berlioz/Saint-Saëns/Milhaud/Ravel with Daniel Harding and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Ravel chamber music with Gautier Capuçon and Frank Braley, duos with his brother; Dutilleux Concerto with the Radio France Philharmonic under Myung-Whun Chung, Saint-Saëns chamber music, Brahms Trios with Gautier Capuçon and Nicholas Angelich Schubert Trout, Mendelssohn/Schumann concertos with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Harding, Brahms Sonatas with Nicholas Angelich, Brahms Double Concerto with Gautier Capuçon and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and Brahms Quartets with Gautier, Gérard Caussé and Nicholas Angelich, Mozart Concertos and Sinfonia Concertante with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Louis Langrée and Antoine Tamestit, Beethoven/Korngold concertos with the Rotterdam Philharmonic and Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Beethoven Sonatas for violin/piano with Frank Braley. His recent Fauré chamber music CD with N. Angelich, G. Capuçon, M. Dalberto, G. Caussé and Ebène Quartet won the Echo Klassik Prize. Recently released : Brahms/Berg Concertos with the Wiener Philharmoniker under D.Harding, "Histoire de Babar" - Poulenc/Debussy/Ridout with Laurence Ferrari and Jérôme Ducros and the 3 CD Best of box of his music. To be released: Bach/Vasks CD as conductor and soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

Renaud Capuçon plays the Guarneri del Gesù "Panette" (1737) that belonged to Isaac Stern, bought for him by the Banca Svizzera Italiana (BSI).

In June 2011 he is appointed "Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite" by the French Government.