The High Conservatories blow out their birthday candles
In 2020, both the Lyon and Paris High Conservatories of Music and Dance celebrated milestone anniversaries. If the history of the Paris Conservatory can be traced back to the reign of Louis XIV, in 2020 the institution wanted to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its installation in the district of La Villette, to the East of the capital, on the initiative of François Mitterrand. The Lyon Conservatory also celebrated its inauguration in 1980, 40 years ago. The programme of festivities was disrupted by the health crisis, but the two institutions were determined to honour these anniversaries.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Paris Conservatory in La Villette, students from the Professions of Musical Culture class investigated the history of its spaces through a series of radio recordings. A tour through the hallways of the building, a sound composition exploring its silences, a coming-of- age story evoking the aura of its prestigious alumni, parallels between the buildings on the rue de Madrid and the architecture of Christian de Portzamparc, a reportage on users’ impressions of the new conservatory, and an imaginary encounter with Camille Saint-Saëns! You can listen to all these podcasts on the conservatory’s website.
The Lyon High Conservatory of Music and Dance chose to publish a book. Over more than a year in making and edited by Alain Poirier, Director of Research at the Lyon Conservatory, this collaborative book of more than 400 pages gives voice to those who have contributed and still contribute to the life of the institution through the texts and testimonies of students, teachers, agents, directors, etc. Organised by department rather than by date, it offers a vision of the daily life of the conservatory, moving fluidly between history and plans for the future. It was published in January 2021 and can be purchased on the Lyon Conservatory website and the website of Decitre bookstore in Lyon.
To students of the Paris and Lyon High Conservatories of Music, Mécénat Musical Société Générale provides aid for personal projects: the purchase of an instrument, a tour abroad, competition participation fees, etc. More than 1200 projects have been financed since 1988.
More information: https://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr & http://www.cnsmd-lyon.fr