IN PICTURES – A new conservatory in Abbeville to train the great musicians of tomorrow

The date was not chosen at random. This Tuesday, music festival day, took place the inauguration of the new conservatory of Abbeville. A guided tour of the premises was organized in the presence in particular of the sub-prefect Philippe Fournier-Montgieux, Stéphane Haussoulier, the president of the departmental council of the Somme, but also of the mayor of the City, Pascal Demarthe.

A place that had a hard time getting out of the ground. Indeed the work started in May 2019 had been stopped by the covid for 11 months. A building intended to replace the old conservatory, installed since the 19th century on a wasteland at the entrance to the town, which has become too dilapidated.

“Before, the conservatory was very old, it creaked everywhere. And then my mother was even a student there. We were in fairly small rooms, we were very tight, whereas here the premises are large. Each instrument has its own music room There is even a library with music scores and the best thing is that we have dressing rooms to rehearse alone. It’s really perfect. There is everything you need. It’s the dream for musicians“assures Valentine, a student at the conservatory for 12 years, including 9 years of saxophone.

Absorb sound

It must be said that the means have been put in place with a budget of more than 11 million euros. Thus the building occupies 3,000 square meters of surface and currently hosts 560 students in around twenty rehearsal rooms and classesbut also a 250-seat auditorium.

“The desire was to recreate the harmony found in dance and music with a patio in the middle with two volumes. A golden and metallic volume in which we find the dance halls and a white volume, in which we finds the rehearsal rooms. There has been a de facto acoustic work between the rooms, but also inside thanks to wood and felt materials to absorb the sound”assures its designer and architect, Nicolas Chabanne.

Make the place shine

A new conservatory necessary for Pascal Demarthe, the mayor of Abbeville who hopes to make it a high place in the department. “We aim to develop this conservatory from an intermunicipal to departmental influence”assures the chosen one.