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 famous and lesser-known composers active in Paris will be discussed in the class. A common thread running through all sessions will be a reflection about the specific identity of French classical music. Peer learning will be an essential part of the course, in the form of student pitches and class discussions. In the second half of the course, an individual research project will lead to a short class lecture and a final paper.