With the assistance of the CMBV choir, composed of 27 secondary school pupils training on a flexible timetable, this workshop at the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles will enable choir directors to experiment with the technical and interpretative aspects that need to be adapted to children's voices: gestures, dynamics, engagement, visibility and expressiveness. By tackling the repertoire from the Tours and Deslauriers manuscripts, this training course will also offer an opportunity to understand the specificities of conducting choirs with equal voices. The presence and participation of members of the Institut Français d'Art Choral (IFAC) during these days will allow for in-depth exchanges through a rich sharing of experiences.
This workshop is aimed at choir directors who wish to deepen their practice with a children's choir. With the active collaboration of CMBV choir Les Pages, a choir of 27 secondary school students in training on a flexible schedule, the training offers a practical immersion in the specific challenges of conducting young singers. Participants will be encouraged to experiment with the technical and expressive requirements specific to children's voices: appropriate gestures, rhythmic precision, vocal dynamics, clarity of beat, management of collective energy and eye contact, all of which are fundamental elements to master in order to promote musical engagement and clarity of interpretation. The workshop also offers repertoire work based on the manuscripts of Tours and Deslauriers, valuable examples of vocal and choral pedagogy for equal voices in the 17th and 18th centuries. Through these sources, participants will explore the musicality specific to these works while acquiring the practical tools to effectively conduct a children's choir in a historically informed aesthetic. This training programme is intended to be experimental, educational and collaborative, directly linked to the realities of the field and the challenges of transmitting the Baroque vocal repertoire to young audiences.
Objectives
- Mastering gestures suited to children's voices, and specifically adapted to the range of equal-voice choirs
- Deepening the interpretation of the Baroque repertoire for children's voices
- Acquiring practical tools for working effectively with a children's choir
- Learn to manage group dynamics, the engagement of young singers, the clarity of the beat and musical construction in both rehearsals and performances
Trainers
Fabien Armengaud, artistic and musical director of the choir (CMBV)
Clément Buonomo, assistant artistic director of the choir (CMBV)
Fabien Armengaud, artistic and musical director of the choir (CMBV)
Fabien Armengaud is a harpsichordist, ensemble conductor and teacher. Trained in harpsichord and conducting, he specialised early on in the French Baroque repertoire, which he explored in depth both as a performer and researcher. In 2021, he was appointed musical and educational director of the Maîtrise du Centre de musique baroque de Versailles (CMBV), after working there as a continuo player and assistant conductor for several years. He directs the training of young singers and has developed an educational approach that combines musical rigour with knowledge of historical practices. Alongside his activities at the CMBV, he founded and directs Le Concert Calotin and the Ensemble Sébastien de Brossard, ensembles dedicated to the rediscovery of French musical heritage. He collaborates with numerous baroque ensembles as a continuo player. His work as a performer is part of a lively and informed approach to recreation, nourished by musicological research. A renowned harpsichordist, he has recorded several critically acclaimed albums, notably focusing on the French repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries. He is regularly invited to give masterclasses, sit on juries and participate in educational projects in France and abroad.
Clément Buonomo, assistant artistic director of the choir (CMBV)
Clément Buonomo studied singing, piano, tap dancing and music theory at the Opéra de Lyon choir in a flexible timetable class and at the Lyon Conservatoire, where he also studied choir conducting, bassoon, analysis and composition. He obtained his DEM in music theory in 2005, as well as his DEM in analysis, harmony, counterpoint and choir conducting in 2007. He also studied opera singing in Jean-Christophe Henry's class, then joined the Maîtrise du Centre de musique baroque de Versailles in 2009 as a light baritone. He obtained his DEM in opera singing in June 2012. During his studies, he collaborated as a chorister or soloist with numerous conductors, including Olivier Schneebeli, Christophe Rousset, Hervé Niquet, Kent Nagano, Louis Langrée and Claire Gibault. In addition to singing, Clément Buonomo also continues to conduct choirs and vocal ensembles. He studied in Régine Théodoresco's class at the CRR in Lyon, then at the CRR in Paris with Christine Morel, where he obtained a specialised diploma in choir conducting in June 2014, with unanimous honours from the jury. During his studies, he perfected his skills in master classes with Nicole Corti, Rachid Safir and Pierre Cao, among others. Among other works, he conducts J.S. Bach's Motets, B. Britten's The Little Sweep, and F. Poulenc's Les Mamelles de Tirésias. Between 2011 and 2017, he conducted the ‘Chœur de la Mauldre’ in Beynes, with which he worked on a variety of programmes, including Schumann's Requiem, works by Janacek and Britten, and contemporary creations. In January 2016, he conducted Lully's opera Les Fêtes de l'Amour et de Bacchus at the Théâtre du Ranelagh with young professional singers and instrumentalists. He has also been responsible for individual vocal training and choral singing at the Académie du Spectacle Equestre Bartabas since February 2013. Since March 2016, he has been in charge of vocal training for the Pages du CMBV as choir director and in 2018 became educational coordinator for the Pages. He was appointed deputy director of the choir in September 2021. Since then, he has conducted the Pages and Chantres in concert in works by Bernier, Bach, Charpentier, Lalande, Gervais, Lully, Monteverdi, Martin, Poulenc, Hersant, and others. In 2023 and 2024, he will conduct two new works by Justina Repeckaite and Adrien Trybucki for the Janus project with IRCAM.
Training arrangements
- In-person workshop only
- Workshop conducted in French (discussions possible in English)
- Alternating between practical exercises, theory sessions and discussions
- Alternating between theory presentations, round table discussions and practical exercises with a children's choir
- Assessment methods: self-assessment and individualised final assessments by trainers
Programme
Classes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - details of the days to be specified later
- Practical demonstrations in front of children's choirs
- Round table discussions and exchanges
- Conferences
- Social gatherings
Participants
- Choir conductors who are currently working or in training
Maximum 8 participants
Prerequisites
- Working professionals
- Future professionals in training - currently enrolled in higher education (bachelor's, master's) or equivalent
Repertoire studied
The catalogue will focus primarily on the Tours-Deslauriers manuscripts, which are available free of charge:
Discussions with trainers beforehand will clarify which documents each person needs to prepare.
Pricing conditions
Fees for 2 days of workshops (online payment via a payment link sent upon acceptance of the application):
Full fee covered: depending on coverage (contact the Training Centre administration for a quote)
Maximum individual contribution: €250 including VAT
Maximum individual contribution for students (up to 26 years old): €90 including VAT
For permanent or temporary employees, CMBV workshops may be covered under continuing professional development programmes (Afdas, employers, etc.).
Services included in the price:
- Access to CMBV premises (instrument tuning if necessary)
- All teaching costs (instructors, instruments, etc.) for the duration of the course
- Active participation in workshops
- Provision of documents and sheet music
- Loan of instruments, or access to instruments, if necessary
The following remain the responsibility of the trainees:
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation expenses (meals and lodging)
Registration
Selection based on application: the application must include a CV and cover letter.
Accessibility
The classrooms and teaching spaces are accessible to people with reduced mobility. For any disability requiring adaptation of the teaching, please specify this when registering: this information will be forwarded to the CMBV disability officer, who will contact you if necessary.
Registration deadline: 17 February 2026
