Retrospective 2017 and New Year 2018, a short review of the past year :
Expanded study programs, adding a business course in music
We have developed our study programs with more time of instrumental practice and instrumental lessons for all first year students, musical culture including the history of music, Computer and digital technology, as well as an introduction to sound techniques. On the other hand, business courses in music have been set up for our final year students. This is an important element of support for professionalisation that is added to the development of a network policy at various levels of the school internally (BDE, contacts with our alumni) and externally (partnerships with French structures and abroad, see below). Therefore, one of our main objectives for this new year will be the further development of these powerful levers of support for professional integration.
Launch of the Student Office (SO)
A first team of students, in partnership with the school has launched during spring the SO of the IMEP called BOP’ART. Beyond its own concert projects and themed jam sessions, BOP’ART has begun to manage the availability of rooms at school for its members outside the presence of IMEP staff. This is a unique opportunity offered to our students for a maximum amount of musical practice in the premises of the school. SO’s activities have resumed this year with a partly renewed team. Remember to join the SO to enjoy its benefits. The annual registration fee is € 5.
Diploma ceremony, march 13, 2017
Our annual graduation took place this year at the Ermitage studio in the presence of our honour guest guitarist-composer Lionel Loueke. List of graduates : Johann Beaudufe (Guitar), Eric Delblond (Bass), Georges Dessaux (Bass), Julien Droz-Vincent (bass), Bastien legros (Guitar), Lorenzo Liuzzi (Piano), Camille Molinos (Guitar), Iantra Razanamaeha (Saxophone), Robin Martin (Guitar), Oscar Richardson (Piano), Alexandre Sacleux (Guitar). More information on our page diploma ceremony.
Evening at Bal Blomet on April 27 in partnership with Jazz Magazine
First part of a concert performed by pianist Alain Jean-Marie by an IMEP group with the participation of saxophonist Rick Margitza and Phil Hilfiker.
Masterclasses …
… with pianist-composer Alain Jean-Marie, singers Kevin Mahogany and Martha High, pianist / composer / beatmaker / producer Mark de Clive-Lowe, pianists Yaron Herman and Willis Delony (music specialist of Bill Evans), Jason Camelio and Ayn Inserto (teachers at Berklee College of Music)
Open door days :
Last year, the school organized two open days, which were appreciated and regularly requested by future students. We have two planned for the coming year. These will take place on Saturday, March 17 and May 26, 2018.
Partnership with HF studios
The HF studios are just a few tens of meters from the school, and have spacious and well equipped premises. After the visit of the owners, we obtained a reduction of 2 € for our students on each hour of rehearsal, at the condition that at least one of the members of the group is an IMEP student. More information on http://www.hfmusicstudio.com
Recruitment of new professors
Note the arrival of pianist Gérard Hagen who is in charge of the music culture course, as well as the arrival of the director of TSF Jazz, programmer and producer Sébastien Vidal, who took charge of the new business courses in music since the beggining of the school year.
Internationally
Sending an IMEP delegation to the annual Jazz Education Network (JEN) Symposium in New Orleans, USA
First visit and hearings of Berklee College of Music at IMEP
Drummer Ron Savage, pianist-conductor Ayn Inserto, guitarist – trombonist Jason Camelio, and guitarist Marek Dykta have taken advantage of national annual eligibility auditions at Berklee College of Music for information sessions and master classes , but also to visit the school, talk with students, leaders and professors.
Integration into the BIN network (Berklee International Network) in June 2017
IMEP • Paris College of Music is now a part of the prestigious international network of schools accredited by Berklee College of Music and is becoming increasingly visible internationally (see presentation). Note that from this new year, the BIN becomes the BGP (Berklee Global Partners).
Berklee Global Summit in Valencia, Spain
Last October, a delegation of four school leaders have been to the Berklee Global Summit in Valencia. The principal pedagogical leaders of the network’s member schools around the world were present. All continents were represented, and we were able to deepen our ties with Berklee College of Music. We also had many meetings there and were able to explore with several structures, partnership paths and educational agreements very important for the development of the school and the future of students.
IMEP students success :
Presidential scholarship!
Our student pianist and singer Jémina Bréchoire is one of two students out of the United States, out of a total amount of 4800 candidates, to be awarded a “presidential scholarship”, a full scholarship, including housing and accommodation, to study in Boston at Berklee College of Music. Jémina joined Berklee on last fall.
Our former student and bassist Selene Saint-Aime plays with saxophonist-composer Steve Coleman in his “Natal Eclipse” group.
For 2018, we have planned to stay on the same dynamic. Some dates of our calendar at the beginning of the year:
– Monday, January 8th: Jam session hosted by Bernard Vidal at Café Universel
– Monday, January 15th: Masterclass and information session about the opportunity to study at Dublin City University (Ireland) with Ronan Guilfoyle, director of the program “Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance”
– Sunday, February 4: Ceremony diplomas in the presence of pianist Alain Jean-Marie at the Studio of the Hermitage
– Sunday, March 18th: Concert at Sunside
– Saturday, March 17 and May 26: Open days from 10am to 5pm
Other events will be scheduled soon. In the meantime, all the IMEP • Paris College of Music team wishes you a happy new year 2018, with success in all your projects, as well as a good start!
