The École was founded on 6 October 1919 as a private institution by French pianist Alfred Cortot and Auguste Mangeot, director of the magazine Le Monde musical.
In 1927, the school moved from a building in the rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans to 114 bis boulevard Malesherbes, a Belle Époque mansion given by the Marquise of Maleissye, where it is situated to this day.
In 1962, after Cortot's death, composer Pierre Petit became the school's new director. Two years later, 1964, conductor Charles Munch was named school president. In 1968, Henri Dutilleux succeeded Münch's position as president and stayed in office until 1974.[2]
Management
The board of directors included musicians of renowned standing including Elliott Carter and Jean-Michel Damase.
Since 1 January 2013, Françoise Noël-Marquis has held the post of director of the school, replacing Henri Heugel.[3]
Salle Cortot
In 1929, the renowned architect Auguste Perret, who also responsible for the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, designed a new 500-seat concert hall for the school.[4] Named "Salle Cortot" after the school's founder, the hall was designed in the "Art Deco" style. Cortot once described it as: "A hall which sounds like a Stradivarius".[5]
In 2001, a restoration of the Hall was carried out with the support of the French Ministry of Culture and Liliane Bettencourt.[2] Today it hosts more than 160 concerts and musical events every year.[5] Both the Salle Cortot and the school are registered as historical landmarks by the French Administration.[6]
Teaching
Higher education courses include instrumental, vocal, composition, film composition, orchestral conducting, chamber music and piano accompaniment disciplines. Training courses offering individual private lessons with visiting professors are also available upon prior audition. The school also has an intensive and tailored program for gifted musicians ages 11 to 16 who wish to pursue a career in music.
Les Concerts de Midi & Demi
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 12:30, a free concert at Salle Cortot is given by the school's students of higher levels and/or its professors. The concept of the program was started by Jacques Lagarde in 1981 and carried on with the direction of Narcis Bonet. During the 2012-2013 season, Véronique Bonnecaze succeeded Bonet's place as its new artistic director.[7] Since then, the post has been held successively by Franck Tourre and Stéphane Friédérich.[8]