À toi de jouer

Foundation programme / Music education programmes for social inclusion (2010-2011)

Led by the Cité de la Musique (Paris) and the Grand Théâtre de Provence (Aix-en-Provence), the À toi de jouer (‘it’s your turn to play’) programme is designed for children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods and comes under the social policy of the city of Aix-en-Provence. The programme concerns 65 children aged 7 to 12 years, encouraged to join by the city’s cultural and social centres (Amandiers, Albert Camus,…). For economic and social reasons, most of these children have no access to artistic activities. À toi de jouer allows them to discover the world of music through an innovative educational approach, based on intuitive practice of the instrument, which the children then apply in the context of a small training orchestra. The musical programme also involves visits to a cultural venue (discovery of backstage, rehearsal rooms and concert hall at the Grand Théâtre de Provence). After these classical music awareness sessions, held during the school holidays of All Saints, in February and Easter, a concert was held on 23 April, 2011, at the Grand Théâtre de Provence, with participants of the À toi de jouer programme.