Baroque LIVE: teeangers from the Vendée region come to Paris to meet Les Arts Florissants

TYA members travelled to Paris at the invitation of Les Arts Florissants. These youth are familiar with the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie held every summer in Thiré, Vendée.

This weekend in Paris was an opportunity to attend the rehearsal of Bach’s Cantatas, to chat with William Christie as well as the musicians and singers, and to visit the Philharmonie de Paris. They also enjoyed visiting the capital’s tourist attractions.

Thrilled with their weekend, they wrote an article on their experience for the Thiré town bulletin.

Thiré Town Bulletin: Article Excerpt

On September 24^th and 25^th 2016, our TYAs blew us away with their near-religious focus. Invited by William Christie for an exceptional weekend in Paris, they attended a rare event: the rehearsal of Bach’s Cantatas at the Philharmonie de Paris. Bill provided a detailed introduction to the programme, which was composed of two religious pieces along with the famous Coffee Cantata. After the presentation of the musicians and singers, our young listeners were carried away in a magical musical whirlwind. A dozen musicians from across the globe, three outstanding singers and the fine-tuning of different musical pieces unfolded as they watched in wonder. Our TYAs were not faking their captivation: they truly grasped the specialness of the moment.
Next, after a Thirean chat with Bill, they were given a full tour of the Philharmonie. The weekend joyfully continued with an evening in Montmartre, not far from our hotel, followed the next day by a visit to the Eiffel Tower, the Centre Georges Pompidou and a walk through the streets of Paris. We got home a little late, but it was all worth it.
All the young people present, and the accompanying adults, warmly thank Bill and Les Arts Florissants, as well as the Kaye Foundation who supported this trip for the TYA as part of Les Arts Florissants’ Baroque LIVE programme. It was a weekend we’ll never forget.