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Photo: Sylvain Guichard
2008-2 ICB:ICB New
Festival Polyfollia 2006
requirements of the repertoire, as well as instrumental and vocal balance can limit access to participation. A university association, COUR is implementing an educational and artistic project which allows events to occur at both the institution (official ceremonies, concerts ...) and within its city and region (concerts, shows ...) and even nationally and internationally. COUR works with its own forces as well as participates in collaborations with other groups. COUR regularly hosts foreign ensembles and in this way develops an exchange policy to facilitate its own travel throughout Europe, North America, and Japan. It is linked to the on-campus cultural life which it also represents outside the university; it is recognized by the university (it has an office and a permanent position) as well as the local authorities and the Government that supports it.
II-1 Issues Many young people are becoming aware of a lack of musical opportunities in their programs (such as the unfulfilled desire to learn an instrument) and consider participating in an accessible activity, such as a choir. Interest in choral possibilities is circulated in the school, by chance at an audition, through word-of-mouth, etc ... The primary purpose of COUR is to enable students to integrate their own respective university choral ensembles. To do this, the first rehearsals are crucial. Each person must feel welcomed in human and musical terms alike. The conductor should provide vocal exercises that the choristers can practice at home, ensure the presence of more experienced singers to assist the newcomers, and choose varied and accessible repertoire that will inspire the ensemble to work hard and perform well. The educational mission must therefore include a thorough understanding of this prerequisite at the beginning of every school year. II-2 What repertoire for our artistic and educational project? At the end of each academic year, the choir reflects on the plans for the following year. Depending on the opportunities (foreign contacts, calls for partnership, the desire to perform a major work, discovering new repertoire ...), the COUR director designs a plan that will be amended and voted on by a General Assembly and then put into action by an elected administrative board. II-2-1 ... And if it were for the youngest ones? ... And the less young! The public school is the future of a university choir: COUR regularly collaborates with public schools in their projects.
The key is to give young people the opportunity to perform at a level of excellence in one of our concerts in accompanied songs in unison or parts if their training is more advanced, instrumental works, etc…The goal is to integrate the students into a musically accessible production, without overloading their respective work load with their own teachers. For example: during Christmas 2007, nearly 50 junior high school students participated in two humanitarian concerts as part of an effort within their two home institutions: they performed two works with piano, and then joined the university orchestra performing the finale from The Lord of the Rings, with all of the teachers onstage. Inspired by this experience, they will sing the children's chorus part of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana joined by other school groups from primary to high school ensembles, produced by COUR in May 2008. The 80 choristers from the ‘Inter-Age University’ of Caen (senior activities offered by the university, translator’s note) will participate with an equally strong motivation in the "Project Tintin"-with choristers ranging from 7 to 77 years old. II-2-2 ... And if it was choir and orchestra? COUR has generated orchestral activity and symphonic training since 1992. This greatly facilitates the implementation of projects including chorus and orchestra together. The synergy of vocal and instrumental activities boosts each group. It validates our music-making, which is sometimes more challenging in a largescale work... The choir alone also participated in co-productions with outside groups (Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, Beethoven's 9th Symphony ...).
ICB Dossier
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