Learning Objective
To give students an overview of the main political, cultural, financial and artistic factors that shaped the musical life in Paris from ca. 1600 until now, and to help the participants develop their research skills.

Course Description
We will cover a broad variety of topics about the evolution of musical life in Paris. In addition to the historical context, a diverse repertoire of music, by composers such as Rameau, Berlioz, Chopin, Debussy and Messiaen, will be discussed in the class. A common thread running through all sessions will be a reflection about the specific identity of Parisian and French classical music. The second half of the course will also include individual coaching, as a preparation for the lecture and paper.