Events for everyone
A whole host of events to suit all tastes and seasons: there's no shortage of good times to be had! On the classical music front, Les Spiriades, a series of musical encounters on the water's edge, are particularly noteworthy. They take place in La Frette-sur-Seine and Herblay, as well as in neighboring Andrésy. For ten days at the beginning of July, the Eglise Saint-Nicolas and the Petit Théâtre in la Frette-sur-Seine, as well as the Eglise Saint-Martin in Herblay-sur-Seine, are the setting for remarkable classical concerts, from organ to harp to chamber music. Add a few pinches of cabaret and accordion, a few recitals and film-concerts, and you've got one of the region's must-see events of national stature. Another event is the "Les Couleurs du Plessis" festival: taking place in Le Plessis-Bouchard over several weeks between March and April, it features lectures, philosophical cafés, exhibitions and, of course, music on a given theme ("Excellence and Performance" for the 2024 edition) A variety of concerts are offered, as well as "Arts Croisés" sessions, which combine music and other types of art. Every year, the "Nuit des Conservatoires", a national event, invites you to come and listen to the work of students over the course of an evening: here, you can go to Montigny-lès-Cormeilles and Herblay-sur-Seine. And don't forget to try out the concerts organized by the Jazz Session association in Pierrelaye, which take place at La Mezzanine every Thursday evening from October to June. In Eaubonne, the Musica association gives concerts with the Orchestre National de France. In Taverny, there's the "Do You Remember Festival", featuring artists from the 1990s and 2000s, and Les Printemps Sonores, with a new theme every year. Finally, on June 21, the Fête de la Musique is celebrated in all 15 towns of the Agglomération: in the streets, in the cafés, on the various stages, we love music here and we show it!
Various locations
There's no shortage of infrastructure here! While it's hard to list every single venue, let's take a look at a few of the best-known examples. The Espace Michel Berger in Sannois: also known as the EMB, this was inaugurated in 1992, and specializes in contemporary music. In addition to hosting artists in residence, it boasts a vast hall that can accommodate up to 500 people, and its program includes several dozen concerts a year: big names come here, as well as up-and-coming groups, notably during so-called "discovery" sessions. The Centre Culturel Picasso in Montigny-lès-Cormeilles, for example, has a capacity of 290, and its large hall hosts dance and concerts. In Sannois, the Cyrano center offers a lively cultural life, with jazz sessions called "Je dis Jazz" (we'll leave it to you to guess, via this pun, the day of the program!) as well as, for example, circus performances, comedy shows and plays in the 2024-2025 program. Last but not least, the Agglomération's network of mediatheques means you'll find a huge number of places where you can buy records and other materials dedicated to listening to all kinds of music: l'Eclipse in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, Georges-Pompidou in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, Maurice-Genevoix in Eaubonne, Jean d'Ormesson in Plessis-Bouchard (which is located within the Jacques-Templier cultural center), to name but a few.
Learning for all, multiple structures
Throughout the region, hundreds of students attend quality music schools. In Sannois, for example, over 400 students attend the magnificent Maison Ribot, which offers music and singing lessons, and boasts no fewer than four orchestras and five choirs, the latter of which have already performed abroad. Not far away, in Le Plessis-Bouchard, the EMAM (Ecole Municipale des Arts et de la Musique) also offers a particularly advanced apprenticeship, catering for all levels and tastes. Further south, the Conservatoire de Franconville-la-Garenne is housed in the magnificent Maison Suger: the acoustic quality of the premises is matched only by the quality of the teaching, which covers a wide range of disciplines: dance and music, of course, but also drama are taught in this 25-room setting with a 123-seat auditorium. It's impossible not to mention Ermont's conservatoire à rayonnement communal: not only for the quality of its educational offerings in dance and music, but also for the venue itself. Inaugurated in 2020, the conservatory has been the object of meticulous architectural and environmental care: covered in gold cladding, it boasts modern, bright and spacious facilities, including a 150-seat auditorium, the whole covering a surface area of 1,550 m2. On the community front, there's no shortage of initiatives: for example, Musique en Val d'Oise, an association launched 3 years ago in Ermont, has two choirs, one classical, the other performing modern music. With rehearsals every Monday, the ensemble organizes several concerts each year in the region. Herblay Musique is an association of professional musicians offering contemporary music courses, from metal and fusion to reggae and jazz: no level is required to come here, and young students are welcome! Last but not least, on the dance front, we'd like to mention "A Corps Danse": this association offers contemporary dance classes in Saint-Leu-la-Forêt for everyone (including children aged 3 and over). There's also the Virginie Delcourt dance school in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, which offers no less than 13 different disciplines, from the most common to the most original, such as street-jazz, zumba-fitness (and its children's version) and pole dance. All in all, whether it's music or dance, it's hard not to find something to learn here!
