Practical Information
Exclusive Early Bird Offer for FCA 2025!
Out of the 42 students admitted to the French Connection Academy 2025, the 10 students who applied first will receive an exclusive Early Bird discount of 300 DKK on the tuition fee.
– Early Bird Fee: 1,800 DKK
– Regular Fee: 2,100 DKK
The FCA course fee includes Pedagogical fees + Meals = 3,999 DKK (Earlybirds: 3,699 DKK).
To this comes the option of housing, that you can see below.
Pedagogical Fee
For a fee of 2,100 DKK, participants receive:
- 3 hours of solo lessons – accompanied by piano for string players.
- Opportunity for a video-produced masterclass
- Daily house concerts
- Opportunity to perform in the 2 final concerts with prize ceremonies
- Opportunity to win prizes at festivals
- Lectures about Danish and French culture with Ida-Marie Vorre the director of Carl Nielsen Museum.
- Personalised string setup for each instrument by Larsen Strings (sponsor)
Meals
The prize for the food is 1,899 DKK
- All meals are served in the canteen of Odense Symphony Orchestra.
- Café Fleuri delivers all meals.
- A coffee/tea station is available throughout the day.
Housing Options
Participants have two housing options:
- Living with other students through our collaborations with local Airbnbs (costing between 1.560-1.800 DKK per student, for 5 nights)
- Arranging private accommodation independently
Application Fee
The Application fee is 150 DKK and it’s here to support the structure behind the academy. The fee is non refundable once the application has been submitted.
Apply now for French Connection Academy! Application dates are from February 10th to April 5th, 2025. You are welcome to apply with a video lasting 10-15 minutes (max), featuring repertoire of your choice, dated no older than one year (as of January 2024).
PRIZES TO WIN
We believe in creating professional opportunities for our students, so concrete professional experiences and resumes are built during the students education.
A stay in Paris hosted by the Danish Church, with a professional concert hosted by the Embassy. This prize also includes a private tour of the Conservatoire National de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMdp) and a visit, fixing/maintenance of the instrument (if string player) by the Luthier Pierre Barthel.
TEACHERS
Philippe Cassard
PIANO
Philippe Cassard, recognized as one of the most engaging and complete musicians of his generation, was trained by Dominique Merlet and Geneviève Joy-Dutilleux at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he won first prizes in piano and chamber music in 1982. He continued his studies in Vienna, where he was tutored by Nikita Magaloff. A finalist at the Clara Haskil Competition in 1985, he won first prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition in 1988. He has since played with leading European orchestras under conductors such as Sir Neville Marriner and Charles Dutoit. Since 1993, Cassard has presented Debussy's complete piano works in a series of concerts around the world, to great success. His recording of the works, released on Decca in 2012, won the Grand Prix de l'Académie du Disque in 1994.
Sarah Nemtanu
VIOLIN
Sarah Nemtanu's artistic career clearly reflects her generous, curious and enterprising personality: from her orchestral activities to chamber music, through the creation of festivals or her presence together with artists from completely different backgrounds, Sarah Nemtanu overflows with energy and new ideas. She was appointed first violin soloist of the Orchestre National de France at only 21 years old. In 2007, she was nominated as "Instrumental Soloist Revelation of the Year" at the Victoires de la Musique Classique. Her encounters with strong personalities such as Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Ricardo Mutti have led her to the most beautiful halls in the world such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Century Hall in Tokyo, Carnegie Hall in New York or the Musikverein in Vienna.
Kristoffer Dolatko
VIOLIN
Co-founder of French Connection Academy. Decades of experience in talent development with numerous award-winning students. He teaches at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, MGK-Østjylland at Aarhus Music School and at Birger Sjöberggymnasiet in Vänersborg, Sweden.
Lise Berthaud
VIOLA
Lise Berthaud is unanimously acclaimed as an outstanding figure on the international music scene. She has performed in various prestigious concert venues around the world (Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Het Concertgebouw, Musikverein, Wigmore Hall etc.) with artists such as Renaud Capuçon, Baiba Skride, Lauma Skride, Harriet Krijgh, Augustin Dumay, Quatuor Ebène, Modigliani Quartet and many more. As a soloist, Lise has played with all BBC orchestras, including her BBC Proms debut in 2014 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Andrew Litton.
Niels Ullner
CELLO
Niels Ullner trained privately with Professor Asger Lund Christiansen, and studied further abroad with others great artists such as Pierre Fournier, William Pleeth and Mstislav Rostropovich. He was a member of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra from 1977-1985. Since that same year, he has played as first solo cellist in the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. Alongside, Niels Ullner has been widely active as a chamber musician, soloist and teacher. Since his appointment in 2010 as a lecturer at the Carl Nielsen Academy in Odense he has succeeded in building up a cello class of a high standard. In 2010, Niels Ullner was appointed as a professor at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, Southern Denmark, in Odense, with responsibility for cello classes as well as the structuring of the orchestra course. Niels Ullner is also much sought-after in connection with master classes and adjudication work in Denmark and abroad.
Jean-Baptiste Doulcet
IMPROVISATION
Board member of FCA and accompanist at CNSMDP for Marc Coppey's Cello Class. Pianist, improviser and composer. Jean- Baptiste won 4th prize at the Long-Thibaud Competition in 2019 with Martha Argerich as president of the jury and the Modern Times’ Prize at Clara Haskil 2019. He has been improvising all his life, both his own cadenzas for piano concertos, music for silent films or for “impro-battle” where he improvises in all composers harmonic languages.
Tuija Hakkila
PIANO
Since 1987 she has held a leading position in piano music at the Sibelius Academy and received a doctorate in music in 2005. She has also taught at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen from 2005 to 2008. T. Hakkila has performed as a soloist, in chamber groups and as an accompanist throughout Europe, the USA, Japan, Indonesia, Africa and South America. She has collaborated with eminent musicians such as Vera Beths, Anner Bijlsma, Mikael Helasvuo, Alexei Lubimov, Karita Mattila and performed with conductors such as Okko Kamu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Leif Segerstam and Sakari Oramo.
CONTENT
A short overview of some of the amazing things you’ll experience and have access to at the academy.
Solo lessons
3 x 60 min Solo lessons - Open for academy students to listen to in great locations. String players’ lessons will be accompanied by a pianist when needed.
Daily house concerts
The daily house concerts are private and held at the end of each day; the involvement of students is appreciated and taken in consideration for the prize-winning concert at the end of the academy.
Concert-prizes
Consists of a long final concert in two parts; open to public. The teacher will be deciding the program, considering the repertoire they worked with and the balance of the general timing.
Masterclasses
A lesson open to the public and filmed. The video will be accessible online later and will give other musicians an opportunity to benefit the pedagogical tools of our teachers and discover the students talent.
Inspiring speakers
With this years’ theme, Danish Spirits, in mind, there will be one lecture; one about Danish composer Carl Nielsen and his inspirations from great danish minds like Kierkegaard, H.C. Andersen. Lastly our sponsor Aarhus Osteopati will talk to us about prevention of injuries and musicians’ health.
Coaching
The academy coach and trust person can be booked for a session by anyone taking part of the academy to receive guidance on subjects such as performance under stress, mindfulness and personal development.