Due to the concerns of COVID-19, the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles is forced to cancel its Académie baroque de Versailles. The first edition will take place next July 2021.
The Centre de musique baroque de Versailles is holding its first Académie of French baroque Music, Song & Dance from 6th – 11th July 2020 in Versailles.
It is designed for amateur musicians, conservatoire pupils and students in higher education, as well as for professional musicians from France and worldwide who wish to discover or explore French baroque.
The Académie offers students a unique training opportunity in the prestigious cultural centre of Versailles comprising group classes, chamber & orchestra sessions, workshops, conferences, guided tours and concerts.
The Académie week takes place in the town of Versailles - at the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, the Versailles regional conservatoire and the Lully-Vauban centre.
Teaching staff
The teaching staff comprises leading repertoire specialists:
VIOLIN
Benjamin Chénier, Patrick Cohën-Akenine, Stéphanie-Marie Degand, Mira Glodeanu
Benjamin Chénier
Artistic Director, Galilei Consort & teacher at the Pôle Supérieur de Paris Boulogne-Billancourt
Patrick Cohën-Akenine
Artistic Director, Folies Françoises & Teacher at Paris-Saclay & Versailles regional conservatoires
Stéphanie-Marie Degand
Artistic Director, La Diane Française & Teacher at the Paris national conservatoire
Mira Glodeanu
Founder of the Ausonia ensemble & Teacher at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels
CELLO
Bruno Cocset, Ophélie Gaillard
Bruno Cocset
Artistic Director, Basses Réunies & Teacher at the Geneva HEM and at the Paris national conservatoire
Ophélie Gaillard
Artistic Director, Pulcinella & Teacher at the Geneva HEM
VIOLA DA GAMBA
Emmanuelle Guigues, Atsushi Sakaï
Emmanuelle Guigues
Teacher at the Versailles regional conservatoire & Villeurbanne ENMD
Atsushi Sakaï
Founding Member of the Cambini-Paris quartet and Sit Fast
HARPSICHORD
Béatrice Martin, Blandine Rannou
Béatrice Martin
Teacher at the Paris regional conservatoire & at the Julliard School in New York
Blandine Rannou
Teacher at the Versailles regional conservatoire
ORGAN
Frédéric Desenclos, François Espinasse
Frédéric Desenclos
Founder of the Ensemble Pierre Robert & Teacher at the Orléans regional conservatoire & Organist at the Royal Chapel in Versailles
François Espinasse
Organist at the Royal Chapel in Versailles & St Séverin church in Paris; Teacher at the Lyon national conservatoire
TRANSVERSE FLUTE
Alexis Kossenko, Jana Semerádová
Alexis Kossenko
Artistic Director, Ambassadeurs ensemble
Jana Semerádová
Artistic Director, Collegium Marianum
OBOE
Héloïse Gaillard, Jean-Marc Philippe
Héloïse Gaillard
Artistic Director, Amarillis Ensemble & Teacher at the Paris national conservatoire
Jean-Marc Philippe
Founding Member of the A Venti ensemble; Teacher at Paris-Saclay & Versailles regional conservatoires
RECORDER
Héloïse Gaillard, Alexis Kossenko
Héloïse Gaillard
Artistic Director, Amarillis Ensemble & Teacher at the Paris national conservatoire
Alexis Kossenko
Artistic Director, Ambassadeurs ensemble
BASSOON
Jérémie Papasergio
Teacher at Tours and Paris regional conservatoires & at the Pôle Supérieur de Paris Boulogne-Billancourt
THEORBO & GUITAR
Benjamin Perrot
Artistic Director, La Rêveuse & Teacher at the CMBV & Versailles regional conservatoire
VOCALS
Alain Buet, Stéphanie d'Oustrac
Alain Buet
Founder of Les Musiciens du Paradis & Teacher at the Paris national conservatoire
Stéphanie d'Oustrac
Teacher at the Pôle Supérieur de Rennes
DANCE
Natalie van Parys, Karin Modigh, Begoña del Valle
Natalie van Parys
Choreographer of Les Cavatines; Teacher at PESMD Bordeaux & ISDAT Toulouse
Karin Modigh
Director of Nordic Baroque Dancers; Dancer, Choreographer & Teacher
Begoña del Valle
Dancer & Teacher
Specialisation
InstrumentS
This course comprises:
- music lessons
- chamber or orchestra ensemble sessions
- workshops
- conferences
- admission to concerts in the Royal Chapel at Versailles (7th & 11th July)
- admission to the teachers’ lunchtime concerts
- admission to Christophe Rousset’s masterclass
- participation in student concerts
- a private tour of the Palace of Versailles
VOCALS
This course comprises:
- singing lessons
- group sessions
- workshops
- conferences
- admission to concerts in the Royal Chapel at Versailles (7th & 11th July)
- admission to the teachers’ lunchtime concerts
- admission to Christophe Rousset’s masterclass
- participation in student concerts
- a private tour of the Palace of Versailles
DANCE
This course comprises:
- technical coaching
- interpretation & repertoire classes (Pécour/Feuillet)
- conferences
- admission to concerts in the Royal Chapel at Versailles (7th & 11th July)
- admission to the teachers’ lunchtime concerts
- admission to Christophe Rousset’s masterclass
- a private tour of the Palace of Versailles
Dancers must be at least 16 years old.
ACCOMPANISTS / VOCAL COACHES
This course comprises:
- accompanying music, singing & dance lessons
- accompanist / continuo / vocal coach lessons
- workshops
- conferences
- admission to concerts in the Royal Chapel at Versailles (7th & 11th July)
- admission to the teachers’ lunchtime concerts
- admission to Christophe Rousset’s masterclass
- a private tour of the Palace of Versailles
AUDITORS
Auditors may attend Académie events, but cannot actively participate. They can join the following:
- singing & music lessons
- chamber & orchestra ensemble sessions
- workshops
- conferences
- teachers’ lunchtime concerts
- Christophe Rousset’s masterclass
- student concerts
- a private tour of the Palace of Versailles
Training
SINGERS & MUSICIANS COURSE
Private lessons & group classes offer students training in French baroque technique and interpretation in line with their instrumental or vocal specialty, led by one or two teachers*
*One teacher for bassoon, theorbo & guitar
*Two teachers for vocals, violin, cello, viola da gamba, transverse flute, recorder, oboe harpsichord & organ
Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July from 9.30 am to 12.30
DANCERS COURSE
The Académie offers an immersion course in belle danse at intermediary and advanced/professional level. It is open to professional and qualified amateur dancers from all disciplines. Specific knowledge of historical dance is not required.
The course comprises interpretation & repertoire classes and technical coaching.
Monday 6th July, from 2 – 4 pm; Tuesday 7th to Friday 10th July, from 10 am – 1 pm & from 2.30 – 5 pm; Saturday 11th July, from 10 am – 1 pm
ACCOMPANISTS / VOCAL COACHES COURSE
The accompanist/vocal coach course comprises practicals (participation in music, singing & choreography classes) and theory – introduction to specific repertoires and styles, and teacher training (French, Italian & Latin language).
Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July, from 9.30 am – 12.30 pm (accompaniment) & from 1.30 – 3.30 pm (classes)
CHAMBER & ORCHESTRA ENSEMBLE SESSIONS (FOR MUSICIANS & SINGERS)
The chamber & orchestra sessions offer students the chance to play alongside three prestigious ensembles (the Vingt-Quatre violons du Roi, the Académie Royale de Musique & the Bande des Hautbois de l’Écurie) or chamber music ensembles.
Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July from 1.30 – 3.30 pm
Students will be allocated the different ensembles by the organisers.
WORKSHOPS (FOR SINGERS, MUSICIANS & ACCOMPANISTS/VOCAL COACHES)
Students may choose 4 out of a total of 15 small workshops. They are designed to explore original repertoires, to shed light on certain contemporary practices, to investigate the components of the French style, or to examine the latest academic research findings.
Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July, from 4 – 6 pm
CONFERENCES & SOCIAL EVENTS
Students may attend 3 out of a dozen music conferences or meet-the-artist events to provide insights into the specific historic, social, aesthetic and artistic aspects of French baroque and its context.
Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July, from 4 – 6 pm
These events are open to the public. Free admission. Seat subject to availability.
CHRISTOPHE ROUSSET’S MASTERCLASS
Harpsichordist, conductor and French music specialist Christophe Rousset will deliver a masterclass to which all students are invited. He will share his long experience as soloist and head of Les Talens Lyriques, and share his technical and stylistic vision of baroque repertoire.
Thursday 9th July, from 8.30 – 10.30 pm
Event open to the public. Free admission. Seats subject to availability.
LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Several CMBV teachers put on a lunchtime musical break and give students the chance to sample 17th and 18th century French baroque masterpieces.
Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July, from 12.15 – 12.45 pm
Event open to the public. Free admission. Seats subject to availability.
CONCERTS in the royal chapel at versailles
At the start and close of the Académie baroque de Versailles, two exceptional concerts will be held in an iconic venue for baroque court music, namely the Royal Chapel in the Palace of Versailles. On the programme, grands motets, the 17th & 18th century French musical genre par excellence.
Grands Motets by Louis-Nicolas Clérambault
Te Deum, Afferte Domino, Magnificat, Regina cœli
Eugénie Lefèvre, dessus
Clément Debieuvre, haute-contre
Antonin Rondepierre, taille
David Witczak, basse-taille
Les Pages & les Chantres from the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles
Collegium Marianum (Artistic Director Jana Semeradova)
Olivier Schneebeli, conductor
The Royal Chapel in the Palace of Versailles - Tuesday 7th July at 8 pm
MORE DETAILS
Grands motets by Jean-Baptiste Lully
Dies Irae, De profundis, O lachrymae fideles
Claire Lefilliâtre et Caroline Arnaud, dessus
Ambroisine Bré, bas-dessus
Serge Goubioud et Cyril Auvity, hautes-contre
Sébastien Obrecht et Marc Mauillon, tailles
Benoît Arnould, Luc Bertin-Hugault et Renaud Bres, basses-tailles & basses
Les Épopées
Stéphane Fuget, conductor
The Royal Chapel in the Palace of Versailles – Saturday 11th July at 7 pm
MORE DETAILS
Public performances
- Grand Motets by Clérambault in the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles with the CMBV’s Les Pages & les Chantres and the Collegium Marianum ensemble (Olivier Schneebeli conducting) on Tuesday 7th July 2020
- Grand Motets by Lully in the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles with Les Epopées (Stéphane Fuget conducting) on Saturday 11th July 2020
- Teachers’ lunchtime concerts on Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July 2020
- Student concert on Saturday 11th July 2020
- Conferences on Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th & Friday 10th July 2020
- Christophe Rousset’s masterclass on Thursday 9th July 2020
Price
- Musicians €580
- Singers €580
- Dancers €450
- Accompanists / vocal coaches €530
- Auditor €200
Accommodation, transportation & meals
Accommodation, transportation and meals are not included.
Minors
The organisers of the Académie shall not be held responsible for under-age students outside class hours.
Preregistration
- Preregistration exclusively online
- Preregistration deadline = 15th April 2020
- Successful applicants will be notified as of 2nd May 2020
Practical information
- The Académie works exclusively with baroque instruments
- Pitch A-415
- French baroque repertoire (1600-1800)
- Classes in French & English
- Students must bring 3 copies of their sheet music to singing and music lessons
- The CMBV provides the scores for the ensemble sessions and dance classes
