Combining innovative pedagogy with active learning methods — such as that of Dalcroze — to adapt learning tools and techniques to a wide audience, the curriculum developed by Sarah Koné is both a demanding artistic education scheme and an educational and social project.
The artistic ambition set by the various disciplines confronts the students of the Maîtrise with the demands of the repertoire and enables them to take part in the Salle Favart’s major productions every year during the season’s shows and concerts, with a full complement of artists and technicians.
Training
Although the Maîtrise Populaire is primarily focused on voice work, the most accessible instrument of all, it is the multidisciplinary dimension of the training that makes it so special.At the Maîtrise, students take courses in vocal techniques and choral singing as well as dance, Dalcroze musical training, tap dance, theatre, piano and sign singing (sign language used to interpret tunes and songs). This enables them to learn about music differently, through a process that decompartmentalizes and synergises the intellectual and physical/emotional approaches to listening.
On-stage artistic activities are at the heart of the Maîtrise’s pedagogy. The troupe participates in about 35 concerts, productions and performances every year, be it at the Salle Favart or off-site.
Schooling
Cartes des écoles de la Maîtrise Populaire
Students of the Maîtrise Populaire ’s first cycle go to Collège François Couperin (Paris 4), while students of the 2nd cycle follow a dual curriculum either at Lycée Georges Brassens(Paris 19) or at Lycée Abbé Grégoire (Paris 5). Since September 2018, a 3rd cycle for post graduate has been created to accommodate a dozen students whose talent allows them to consider making a career of it. Also, since September 2019, the Maîtrise has created a preparatory course, the pre-Maîtrise, for year 5 and 6 pupils at 41B Tanger primary school (Paris 19).
Auditions
Auditions are held every year at the Opéra Comique for young people to join the Maîtrise Populaire.
Our next recruitment campaign for the 2022-23 academic school year will be announced here (link to registration form) as of December 2021.
To ensure social and geographical diversity, a recruitment tour is also organised in primary schools of the priority education network located around Paris (REP and REP+ ).
In 2018, the Maîtrise visited Saint-Ouen’ schools, in 2019 it went to Bagneux, in 2020 to Ivry-surSeine and in 2021 the Maîtrise went on the outskirts of Paris, in the 19th et 20th arrondissements.
« Working with the Maîtrise is about “belonging ” and building a shared identity. It’s about having a collective dream and giving each other the means to achieve it, whatever the difficulties »
Sarah Koné Director of the Maîtrise Populaire
