Saxophone department

The program prepares students for a variety of careers:

• Orchestral, instrumental ensemble, or vocal ensemble musician
• Chamber music,
• Live performing arts, multidisciplinary artistic projects (music, dance, theater, etc.)
• Teaching musician, teacher in conservatoires or associative music school (bachelor in instrumental or vocal pedagogy).

It helps students to build an individualized musical and artistic approach that reflects recent evolutions across the creative sector.

Main repertoires & chamber Music

This module focuses on refining and consolidating technical skills while developing musical and stylistic work. Students are working towards mastering all four instruments of the saxophone family across a wide range of contexts and repertoires: Classical, contemporary, creation, transcriptions, jazz, and contemporary pop/rock/urban music. Special emphasis is placed on repertoire culture through masterclasses, historically informed performance practice, program presentation, etc. Chamber music practice remains central throughout the curriculum.

Ensemble practice

Ensemble performance (quartet, saxophone ensemble, wind band) is a core component, featured in both regular sessions and professional immersion projects. Large ensemble sessions, led by guest conductors, culminate in concerts under professional conditions thanks to key partnerships (including TAP–scène nationale Grand Poitiers, Ars Nova instrumental ensemble, and others).

Specific skills

Students are also encouraged to develop specific skills in sight-reading, applied analysis, secondary keyboard instrument, jazz improvisation, and saxophone repertoire history in connection with introductory research modules. They also participate in collective projects spanning diverse aesthetics (saxophone ensemble, mixed brass/percussion/piano ensembles, wind band, etc.).