Skip Sempé, born March 8, 1958 in San Diego, California, is a French-American harpsichordist and conductor. He studied music at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music until 1980 and later trained under Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam. In 1986, he founded Capriccio Stravagante, an ensemble specializing in Baroque and Renaissance repertoire. Sempé became known for reviving the tradition of virtuoso improvisation on the harpsichord and has released notable albums including Lully: Divertissements (1990) and Couperin: La Sultane (1996). Sempé served as artistic director of the label Paradizo, which he founded in 2006. In 2021, he was named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
