There is a wealth of educational opportunities waiting for your pupils at the Philharmonie de Paris. An essential element of any music school trip to Paris is a visit to the Philharmonie and Cité de la Musique; they will provide your class with a range of interesting and exciting cultural information.
Philharmonie de Paris
On the edge of the capital is the Philharmonie, one of the city’s finest attractions and an interesting and educational spot to bring your music students. Whilst the original project included a big auditorium, it ended up going much further. It now gives both resident and invited orchestras the best working conditions in the capital, whilst several other spaces within offer the chance for pedagogic activities to bring music to more people than ever before.
Standing at 52m high and boasting amazing architecture, it is an essential part of the landscape in the northeast of the capital. It was designed to be the meeting point for both the public and musicians, and in this sense, it becomes a ‘living space’ for music in the city.
Cité de la Musique
It was the architect Christian de Portzamparc who launched this project back in 1995 when he began designing the plans for the building. He dreamed of a space that was open to all, a kind of ‘dreamlike town’ which acted as a place for people to meet and move about.
The Cité de la Musique was built based on a desire to combine the Paris Conservatory and the musical instrument museum. It sought to bring together the spaces and equipment needed for to both teach and perform great music. This revolutionary spot will certainly amaze and excite your class.
Museum Sound Tours
Before you complete your visit to these marvellous musical sites, be sure to head to the museum. With free audio guides on offer, your pupils can take in the sound of the instruments they see. There is a tour designed specifically for children aged 7-14, which will provide your class with a great accompaniment to their time in the museum.
Organising Your Trip
Before taking your class on a school trip to Paris, it is a great idea to use the services of a specialised educational tour operator to help organise it. This will ensure that your pupils get the most out of their time in the French capital. Your visit will be enriched to no end with their help; they will be able to provide the expertise and experience needed to make sure that you get to see all of the best cultural, historical and musical sights during your trip. It will also take away the hassle of having to organise the trip yourself!
No school trip to Paris would be complete without a visit to the Philharmonie de Paris and the Cité de la Musique. Both offer the chance for your pupils to get a flavour of the French capital’s rich music heritage, and to take in some stunning architecture at the same time!
John Gardiner is the Managing Director of The School Travel Company, a tour operator specialising in educational travel for school and youth groups. Whether you’re planning a school trip to Paris, New York or India’s Golden Triangle, you can trust both the educational and economic value of their itineraries, whether ready-made or specifically designed to suit the needs of your group.
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