The arts bring incredible value to a school community, so here at Leysin American School we have multiple performing and visual arts programs to nurture growing student talent. One way that we guide interest in the arts is by cultivating a community that enjoys learning from and being inspired by professional artists. In 2022, LAS relaunched the Belle Époque Magique concert series and we love welcoming a wide range of talented musicians to our community throughout the academic year!
Through the Belle Époque Magique series, we bring local and global talent to perform in the beautiful Grande Salle on the Belle Époque campus and engage our community through workshops that give a deeper insight into music. Belle Époque Magique allows us to step into the music in a truly unique way. By hosting these events, we aim to uphold our commitment to deepening culture by furthering our mission of developing innovative, compassionate, and responsible citizens of the world.
Leysin American School is welcoming five artists-in-residence during the 2023-2024 season. Each artist gives a performance and workshop in English and French that is open to the public, and three of our artists also work closely with our LAS students during the school day. These workshops allow students to gain hands-on experience and engage more deeply with the music.
The first Belle Époque Magique guests we welcomed to the Grande Salle this season were Vasilisa Neliubina (violin) and Macha Hulin (piano). This duo played music from the Belle Époque era and wowed audiences with their unique sound and informative workshop. Audiences heard an extensive range of repertoire during the concert, from Saint-Saëns and Debussy to Kreisler and Tartini.
In November, we welcomed our second Belle Époque Magique guest, François le Roux (HA!Man). With a formal classical background, the cello is François’ main instrument but he also engages in the keyboard, voice, dance, drama, writing, and visual art forms. His uniquely unfolding performances happen in intimate environments, interactive school concerts, workshops in spontaneous creativity, and multi-artistic collaborations. Technology enables the creation of layered accompaniments in a comprehensive array of styles and textures, as well as sound effects and visual projection.
Experiential learning is at the heart of what we do at LAS, and it is always exciting for our students to get a hands-on tutorial from the expert musicians! Experiential learning can be defined as “learning through reflection on doing,” and we saw this in action throughout the workshops. This form of learning enables our students to see the real-life applications of their studies and engage with their learning in a way that ignites their creative spark and curiosity.
The concert and workshops have helped engage LAS students with the world of music and have provided cultural enrichment to everyone in the Leysin community who attend. Hosting experts in different fields continually enhances our students’ learning and allows them to let their creativity flow and collaborate with others. Click here to read more about the Belle Époque Magique series and check out the full season of artists.
