Artists in Residence

MOMUS: Interactive Chamber Opera

Ensemble Télémaque’s MOMUS residency introduces 1st Grade students to the world of opera through a hands-on artistic experience alongside professional musicians.

Over the course of a week, children step into the heart of the creative process as they explore singing, acting, percussion, movement, and conducting to build and perform an original chamber opera.

Through collaborative workshops, students discover core musical concepts—including melody, rhythm, and harmony—while developing their stage presence, voice, and teamwork. Tailored specifically for young performers, “Momus”makes contemporary opera accessible and engaging, inspiring confidence and artistic expression in every student.

Every Child Is an Artist: Songwriting and Expressive Creation

Guided by the belief that within every child lies a unique and personal voice, singer-songwriter duo Joséphine & Rémy will lead an immersive songwriting residency for the 3rd Grade students.

Throughout the workshop, students will collaborate to create an original song entirely in their own words. Drawing on the children’s ideas and expressions, Joséphine and Rémy will help shape the melody and lyrics, allowing the music to evolve organically alongside the class. The residency culminates in a vibrant, interactive concert featuring original songs performed in French with a splash of English, celebrating the shared storytelling, sincere emotion, and creative spirit of the students.

Polyphony Music : Working in Canon

Vocalists Ryan Veillet and Maya Villanueva, members of the ensemble Les Métaboles, will introduce 5th-grade students to polyphonic singing through the technique of the canon.

As part of a major collaborative residency with Gibney Company, vocalists Ryan Veillet and Maya Villanueva from the French vocal ensemble Les Métaboles are working with 5th-grade students on the art of polyphonic singing. Class by class, students explore ancient canons as well as modern vocal techniques, mastering individual songs before coming together to experiment with interweaving their voices.

Beyond classroom workshops, students will gain firsthand insight into professional artistic collaboration through an artist talk with members of Gibney Company, learning how singers and dancers co-create large-scale original works. The residency culminates with an opportunity for students and the Lycée community to attend the world premiere performance at New York City Center—a landmark production by Gibney Resident Choreographer Lucinda Childs set to Philip Glass’s rarely performed masterpiece, “Another Look” at Harmony, Part 4, featuring live music by Les Métaboles.

Imaginary, Climate-Smart, and Collaborative Cities

In this hands-on residency led by Caroline Garin, founder of KidzArchitects, Grade 5 students will explore the intersections of architecture, urban planning, and environmental resilience.

Working with uniform base materials—cardboard plots and modular building units—each of the four classes will tackle a distinct macro-climate challenge: designing a floating city, an underground city, a shaded oasis city, or a high-altitude vertical forest city. Within their classrooms, small student groups will navigate localized eco-constraints (such as integrating self-sustaining energy systems or urban farms) while designing connection features—like walkways, bridges, and green corridors—to link their individual plots together.

The residency culminates in a collaborative presentation, where the individual group projects are assembled into four large-scale, interconnected future cities.

Unleashing Color: The Art and World of Niki de Saint Phalle

Led by theater director and actor Julia Picquet, 8th-grade students will dive into the vibrant, unconventional world of artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

Combining art history, theater, and public speaking, this multidisciplinary residency explores key themes of Saint Phalle’s work—including freedom, identity, body, and the transformation of conflict into creative expression—through iconic series like Les Tirs and Les Nanas. Stepping into the shoes of investigative journalists, students will refine their interviewing, active listening, and oral expression skills. The residency culminates in a dynamic, performative showcase: a theatrical interview where Julia Picquet brings Niki de Saint Phalle to life on stage, surrounded by original visual set elements created by the students.

“Je t’aime moi non plus”: French and English, Two Friendly Rivals Tested by Time

Influencer and linguist Sébastien Grimaud (known as Étymocurieux) will work with 10th-grade students to explore the historical linguistic crossover between French and English.

Working in small groups, students will select French words used in English and English words used in French, guided by Sébastien through deep etymological research into their origins and evolution.

The project culminates in a final scripted showcase in the auditorium, where students will present their work and bring the fascinating, centuries-old relationship between both languages to life on stage.

The Gamer’s Brain: Exploring Cognitive Biases and Game Design

Led by cognitive psychologist and game UX expert Celia Hodent (author of “The Gamer’s Brain”), 7th-grade students will dive into the intersection of human psychology and video game mechanics.

Through hands-on workshops, students will explore how games engage and activate the mind—examining concepts like cognitive biases, memory, brain function, and user experience. Working in teams, students will put these principles into practice by creating their own game prototypes across various formats, from digital games and performance-based activities to architecture and wellness challenges. The residency will conclude with an interactive showcase where students present and play test their original game creations.