Orchestres Démos

Initiated in 2010, Démos (Musical and Orchestral Education Device with Social Purpose) works towards cultural democratization through orchestral music practice. It trains the citizens of the 21st century by placing music at the heart of their development, and giving central place to social work.

Within a global pedagogical and artistic coherence, it proposes learning classical music to children without easy access to this practice for economic, social or geographical reasons.

The project targets children aged 7 to 12 living in districts covered by urban renewal policy (QPV) or in rural revitalization zones (ZRR) far from practice venues. Each child is given a musical instrument for three years.

5-hour workshops on average, divided into instrument families, and meet regularly for a full rehearsal.

The device owes its success to adapted educational supervision, cooperation between cultural and social actors, the development of specific collective pedagogy and continuous training of facilitators.

Evolution of the relationship to learning, self-confidence, concentration and listening, respect for others, creativity… The benefits of Démos are many and over 13,000 children have already benefited.

Initially focused on the Île-de-France region, the device has developed nationally from 2015 onwards and now has nearly fifty orchestras across French territory.

Coordinated by Philharmonie de Paris, Démos is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Regional Planning and Decentralization / the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT), the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, and family allowance funds.

This funding is supplemented by the decisive funding from over 300 local authorities involved that host the orchestras, and a committed community of patrons. It is sponsored by Lilian Thuram, President of the Education Against Racism Foundation.