Exclusive Insights into Arts Management: MPAE Students Explore the Philharmonie de Paris with Hugues de Saint Simon

Our MBA Performing Arts & Entertainment Management students met Hugues de Saint Simon, General secretary at Philharmonic de Paris for an exclusive behind-the-scenes discovery of the venue and a talk about their missions and organization.

The Philharmonie de Paris, or Paris Philharmonic Hall, is a concert hall complex located in Paris, France. This venue includes exhibition areas and rehearsal rooms, situated in the Parc de la Villette on the northeastern edge of Paris in the 19th arrondissement. Central to the complex is a 2,400-seat symphonic concert hall, designed by Jean Nouvel and inaugurated in January 2015.

The construction of this hall was delayed for about twenty years to finalize the existing musical institution, La Cité de la Musique, which was designed by Christian de Portzamparc and opened in 1995. While primarily hosting symphonic concerts, the Philharmonie de Paris also features performances of jazz and world music.

Our students gained firsthand knowledge about the management and operations of a world-class cultural institution. Understanding the logistics behind scheduling, event management, and daily operations provides valuable practical experience. They also got an insight into how the Philharmonie de Paris executes its strategic goals, manages a large team, and adapts to challenges can offer lessons in leadership and strategic planning. This is crucial for students who aspire to lead similar institutions. Lastly, the Philharmonie de Paris serves as an excellent case study for best practices in the performing arts sector. Analyzing its successes and challenges was a valuable lesson for young, aspiring professionals within the performing arts and entertainment management field.

The meeting was followed by a guided visit of the exhibition "METAL - diabolus in musica" with a one of a kind in house produced installation. Contrary to the stereotypes to which metal is often reduced, the exhibition presents, for the first time in France, a documented picture of this movement, where music, popular culture, anthropological vision and contemporary art are in dialogue.

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