First of all, can you tell us more about your background?

I’m a bit of a special case in that I was born into a family of musicians, my mother a music teacher and my father a violinist. So I’ve been immersed in music since ‘in utero’, and it was omnipresent around me. I started playing the violin at the age of 4, first with my father, then quickly with other teachers. After that, I followed a fairly classic path in the institutions we are lucky enough to have in France: the network of conservatoires, first municipal, then departmental, then regional, ending up at the CNSMDP from which I graduated at the age of 20. I started my professional career very early, joining the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra at the age of 19. Even as a child, at the age of 12, I was lucky enough to be concertmaster of Henri Des’s symphony orchestra at the Olympia: we’re talking about the very early 90s!

Then I played in a lot of orchestras in various French symphony orchestras. I’ve been involved in a wide range of musical activities: orchestras, a lot of chamber music (with Frank Braley, Gautier Capuçon, Francois-René Duchable, etc.), studio work to record film music (Michel Legrand, Alexandre Desplat, etc.) and variety albums (Clara Lucciani, Calogero, Adamo, Patrick Bruel….).

In your opinion, at what age should children start learning about music?

I don’t think there’s any age limit for musical awakening. The ear can be developed from birth, and the earlier the better, because it can even become unconscious. The instrument can be started from the age of 5, I’d say. Before that, it should remain a game, because concentration is difficult to achieve.

Introducing children to music from an early age has many benefits: it opens their minds, makes them curious, helps them learn about the senses and discover their emotions.

In particular, you designed the “Bébés Concerts” for children aged 3 months and upwards. Can you tell us more about them?

Credit : Jessica Das

The “Bébés Concerts” that we give with the Lamoureux orchestra were originally born of the idea that concert halls were unfortunately closed to this age group. Obviously, a child under the age of 3-4 cannot remain silent for more than 10 minutes listening to a concert. So we came up with the idea of a place where children could attend a concert and still be able to be themselves. Today it’s a huge success, and parents are delighted to be able to introduce their children to music. The children have the opportunity to discover the instruments and see how all the instruments work together to make music.

Each “Bébé Concerts” focuses on a theme, a concept, a composer: discover while having fun. With this formula, children under 5 are immersed in the world of classical music by attending a real concert in their parents’ arms. Not only do they listen, but they also move around in their seats, wandering around the auditorium and familiarising themselves with the atmosphere of a concert. The “Bébé Concerts” are a real opportunity for the whole family to share, as well as with the musicians.

Children not only hear music played by a real orchestra, but also sing nursery rhymes with them. The “Bébé Concerts” last around 30 minutes: a format adapted to children’s ability to concentrate, with a fixed programme and explanations, devised by a musician from the orchestra in collaboration with the conductor and musicians.

You can imagine how this musical experience also appeals to the other senses?

Yes: hearing and sight. Otherwise, children could discover music at home behind a hi-fi system or a screen. But what we want them to discover is live performance: a concert. It’s the experience of spending time together in a concert hall. There are real musicians, which creates real interaction. You should see their eyes when they discover the instruments!

What other initiatives has Orchestre Lamoureux launched for children and their families?

We recently created a show for children called ‘Malevolo et l’oiseau qui fait venir le jour’. Like ‘Zorbalov et l’orgue magique’, which I created with Yanowski and Samuel Parent a few years ago, it’s a show for children that introduces them to the great repertoire through a story. A CD book is also in preparation.

Do you have any advice or ideas for ‘home’ activities for parents of young children reading this?

Listen, listen and listen to music, understand its inner workings and let yourself be carried away!

Thank you Hugues Borsarello: we’ll be putting this advice into practice too !

Find out about the next “Bébés Concerts” dates

Watch the latest “Bébé Concert Ballerine” video in French

Find out more about hearing in children