The Maîtrise de Toulouse was founded in 2006 within the Toulouse Conservatoire, becoming the first choir school structure in South-West France.  The Maîtrise provides a specialised musical education which gives life to an acclaimed vocal ensemble, recognised today as one of the leading choir school model choirs in Europe. In 2017 the Maîtrise de Toulouse received the prestigious Bettencourt Prize for choral music, awarded by the Académie des beaux-arts at the Institut de France and the choir has also received the Prix des Arts from the Académie d’Occitanie.

 

The Maîtrise gives around ten concerts a year, principally in Toulouse, at the Auditorium Saint Pierre des Cuisines, Basilique Saint Sernin, Temple du Salin and the Halle aux Grains as well as for festivals around the region. It gives concerts throughout France, including venues such as the Chapelle Royale at Versailles, the Opéra-Comique in Paris, and also abroad (Spain, Germany, Italy, UK).

 

The choir reaches an international audience through its recordings. Its 8 albums cover repertoire from the Renaissance to new commissions and sung in over twenty languages, both sacred and secular.  They have received unanimous praise in the international musical press, including 5 Diapasons in France (twice), “essential releases” in the Sunday Times, 5 stars in Choir and Organ Magazine, 4 stars in the BBC Music Magazine, the Clef Resmusica, “coup de cœur” for France Musique and the Critic’s Choice for the American Record Guide, whose reviewer stated that “there is probably nothing this choir couldn’t sing, and spectacularly well”. The choir’s album with the Ensemble Binchois received a Diapason Découverte and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (early music category).  The choir also has an important online presence through the many films on its Youtube channel.

The Maîtrise’s repertoire is extremely rich and varied, covering both sacred and secular music from all periods as well as first performances of new works and regular commissions (Paweł Łukaszewski, Emannuelle Da Costa, Patrick Burgan, Edith Canat de Chizy...).  Particular attention is paid to French repertoire including revival of lost works, new arrangements of folksong and commissions of new works.  

 

The choir regularly collaborates with other ensembles and institutions (Orchestre du Capitole, Orchestre baroque Les Passions, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, les Sacqueboutiers, Centre de musique baroque de Versailles…). The choir has also recorded music for film soundtrack.  Choristers have also performed solo roles in operatic productions at the Théâtre du Capitole of Toulouse.

The choir is made up of choristers (collégiens) who are educated in specialist classes at the Collège Michelet, of older girl choristers (lycéennes) who attend the Lycée Saint Sernin, and of men’s voices (students, including ex-choristers with additional professional support).

Many former choristers have become professional musicians, including Juliette Mey (Révélation lyrique, Victoires de la Musique and a finalist in the Queen Elisabeth competition).

The Maîtrise is directed by its founder, the Anglo-French conductor Mark Opstad.