Training

The Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc receive all their training from highly experienced teachers at the Choir School: learning repertoire, musical training (music theory, harmony), interpretation (for soloists), choral singing, chamber music, and conducting for beginners. The Petits Chanteurs have between 6 and 8 hours of rehearsals per week, but this can increase according to concerts. Even if a pupil has no musical knowledge on joining the choir, the consistent hard work and dedicated approach of each chorister is what enables them to achieve the highest musical standard.

Major Events

Alongside the success of the fi lm “les Choristes”, the fame of the “Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc” continues to grow. Having given several performances of Mozart’s comic opera “Bastien and Bastienne”, (12 performances were given at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens - conducted by Jean-Claude Brialy), they made a recording of the work which has been issued on DVD. The Choir has appeared on numerous television channels such as TF1, France 2, France 3, Canal +, M6, etc. and broadcasts regularly on national and international radio. This new CD with Henri El Salvador comes after previous album sales exceeding 2 million copies and a triumphant world concert tour.

Church services

As the Children’s Choir of Fourvière Basilica , the choir regularly takes part in church services at the Basilica . Nowadays, the Choir is in demand all over France as well as abroad. Whilst on tour, it has performed in the grandest concert halls (Zénith, the Palais des Congrès, Théâtres, amongst others). The Petits Chanteurs have been to numerous countries to demonstrate their skills : the Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Russia, the Island of Reunion, Japan, Canada, the United States, the Balearics, New Caledonia and Tahiti, as well as throughout Europe. They have also been guests at numerous festivals : the Festival du Vieux-Lyon (conducted by E. Desnoues), the Printemps de Pérouges (conducted by M. Rigaud), the Festival d’Ambronay (conducted by A. Brunet), the Eccléctiques de Rocamadour (conducted by Patrick de Carolis), etc. The choir often sings for charities or humanitarian causes (Ligue contre le Cancer, Téléthon, Sidaction, Sans-Abris, Enfance et Partage, etc), in hospitals (Institut Gustave Roussy in Villejuif, Hôpital Debrousse in Lyon, etc.) or retirement homes.

Nicolas Porte, Choirmaster

Founder of the Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc in September 1986, Nicolas Porte has lost count of the hours he has committed to training his choir to become one of the top ranking children’s vocal ensembles. Born in Lyon in 1963, he soon discovered he had a vocation for music and began his musical training at the conservatoire in Lyon. After a period as a choirboy at the Cathedral School in Lyon and then becoming an adult singer, his interest in vocal music turned towards conducting children’s choirs. He learned his craft from leading English, Russian and Czech conductors. Whilst continuing to study the piano, he took singing lessons from various teachers including the Bulgarian tenor, Boyan Stoïlov, soloist at the Sofi a opera. Nicolas Porte has also taught music education at the Saint- Marc Centre since 1984. Founding the choir was the start of a great adventure which has grown to become a full time job.

His willingness, discipline and passion for music for children’s voices are the main reasons for which the Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc are so successful. He was appointed Choirmaster of the Fourvière Basilica in 1995. He also conducts the vocal ensemble SEQUENTIA, the Fourvière Liturgical Choir and the Fourvière Gregorian Schola. Nicolas Porte is also President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Union of Children’s Choirs and Vice-President of the French Federation of Children’s Choirs. He directs numerous training courses for choral singing throughout France. He was made an Honorary Citizen of Rocamadour, and received the Music Medal, awarded by the Paris-Lyon Group in honour of his work promoting and developing choral singing. He and the choir were recently awarded the Civic Merit Gold Medal for the work they have done for children who are victims of the Asian Tsunami. Music is his life, and it is through his immense talent and professionalism will that he has been passing this passion on to children for nearly 20 years.