The 28 students from the 4th 6 Orchestra class at Théophile-de-Viau college went to join the Marseillais from Joséphine-Baker college and then welcomed them to Agen for a series of concerts.
If we go back two years, almost all of them had never touched an instrument in their lives and they found themselves propelled onto the stage of the Cité de la Musique in Marseille, on a Thursday evening, for a concert that Benjamin Michel considers with a certain pride, as a real success: their success!
The Agenais in Marseille
The 28 teenagers from the Orchestra class took the train very early this Monday, May 27 to reach Saint-Charles station where a welcoming committee led by Patrick Rolle, principal of the Joséphine-Baker college in Marseille, Auguste Voisin, clarinet teacher and Gilles Cabanes, music education teacher, were waiting for them to take them directly to their accommodation in a holiday center.
The 14 young Marseillais quickly found their feet and merged with the Agenais into a musical ensemble which will give rise to the two concerts scheduled during this visit, one at the Joséphine Baker college, the other at the Cité de la musique. The bonds of friendship between the two classes were established during leisure time discovering the capital of the Mediterranean.
The Marseillais in Agen
Returning to Agen on May 31 (exhausted, but delighted with their stay), Théophile-de-Viau’s class welcomed the musicians from the Marseille college the following Monday, staying with Passage families. In terms of leisure, a relaxing day at Bonaguil Castle and a discovery excursion to the Frespech foie gras museum. On the music side, the Florida had opened its doors for rehearsals and made its stage available for the closing concert which followed the one which had previously taken place at the T. de Viau college, on the left bank.
Benjamin Michel, project manager of this operation, would like to thank the teaching team who accompanied the orchestra class, Florida, all year round for their help and support, and for this operation in particular, Sam Labarbe, the excellent cook at the college, who is also a music lover and who made an essential contribution to the logistics of this operation.
Congratulations also and above all to the students who were the main actors in an operation whose main aim was also, through music, to improve success, avoid dropping out of school and contribute to the well-being of students. Objectives achieved with the added bonus of creating strong bonds of friendship that all these students will know how to maintain in the best way on social networks in their most virtuous form.
