The professional training.

The Orchestre des Champs Elysées is one of the first orchestral ensembles to have created its own training course. The principal teachers of this seminar are musicians who play in the orchestra.
 


The JOA (Jeune Orchestre Atlantique) programme, managed by the Abbaye aux Dames in Saintes, in association with the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, is one of the most ambitious and successful programmes in the field of performance practise on period instruments. Created in 1996 by Philippe Herreweghe and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, this programme of study allows young musicians of all nationalities to benefit from courses directed by prestigious directors and renowned musicians, and to develop their interpretation of Classical and Romantic repertoire on period instruments dating from 1750 to 1900.
Every year, the Abbaye aux Dames organises eight to ten JOA courses, with Jane Booth as the Education Manager. The students can take part in JOA courses “à la carte”, or apply for the full two-year, diploma-granting course entitled : "Advanced studies programme in orchestral training on Classical and Romantic repertoire". For those courses, the Abbaye aux Dames gives the students access to a unique collection of period instruments as well as instruction in performance practice techniques of that time. The students perform in chamber music or orchestral concerts at the end of each course. The experience gained through these courses help s them in their professionnal pursuits : Numerous graduate students of the advanced studies programme have been subsequently affiliated with the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées and other period instruments groups. 
For the last two years, the Abbaye aux Dames has also organised an introductory course on historical interpretation: the Discovery course. This course is aimed at music students and amateurs at a minimum level of grade 8, and invites them to discover the stylistic elements and techniques relevant to historical interpretation. 
The success of this programme is undoubtedly due to the memorable opportunity of experiencing professional orchestra life.  
To know more about the courses, please visit the website www.abbayeauxdames.org or send an e-mail to joa@abbayeauxdames.org.

Public outreach work.

 • In the concert hall

The aim of our outreach program is to inspire a love of living music. In order to familiarise the public with the works, the instruments and the composers that are programmed, the musicians of the orchestra are always keen take the floor and give talks, either before the concert or as a part of an open rehearsal. Audiences are thus exposed to the core of music-making; they can enter into discussions and ask questions to artists they normally only see on stage. These exchanges add to cultural richness provided by the orchestra's presence in the city playing host to the orchestra.

 • In educational establishments

In primary schools, the project 'Prélude aux Champs-Elysées' follows the same pupils (aged 8 to 11) over three years, during which they explore such ideas as instruments construction and sound production, musical notation and interpretation. and the rudiments of the historical performance practice. Each year, they are introduced to new chef d'oeuvres of the orchestral repertoire as they are prepared for their attendance at rehearsals and concerts by the orchestra.
The project 'Kik'C', on the other hand, is a one-off event which takes the first step into the world of music. In the morning, the themes of a piece of music are learnt through a playfull, light-hearted approach, and in the afternoon, the students are seated on stage, close to the musicians who are playing the piece.
The 'Rien à voir' project is aimed at lower secondary school classes and its purpose is to link image and sound in order to better grasp music, the invisible art. Pupils analyse a chosen piece, find an image for it and then re-compose the piece on the basis of their images.
'Êtes-vous romantique?' was created for upper secondary school classes, adopting a multi-disciplinary creative approach. Teachers of music, French, foreign languages and art history work together with the pupils to create texts to accompany one of the orchestra's concerts.

 • At home

In partnership with the Scène Nationale de Poitiers, chamber music groups made up of musicians from the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées give mini-concerts in private homes in a chamber ensemble. Those hosting the concert invite their family and friends to their home to listen to the concert, after which they can chat freely with the musicians over a drink. Many of the guests may never have herad much classical music live, and certainly not in such an intimate setting. This gives the instrumentalists the chance to play for different public, which has little experience of concert halls, while the hosts enjoy a unique opportunity to make the acquaintance of musicians whose only wish is to share their experience and their passion.

These projects are funded in partnership with the Centre Culturel de Rencontre de Saintes and the Centre d' Etudes Superieures Musique et Danse Poitou-Charentes.