The Maurice-Ravel Conservatory is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a special program that will begin in September 2026 and continue until January 2027. This event, dubbed 'Atomic 150 Years', promises intimate and unusual performances, free and accessible to residents, in several Basque Country towns, from Saint-Palais to Hendaye.
On October 18, the Michel-Portal Theater in Bayonne will host a concert featuring about a hundred instruments. Violinists, guided by Marina Beheretche, solo violinist of the Orchestre du Pays Basque, and Delphine Labandibar, will offer a musical journey through the conservatory's archives.
As part of Arteen Artean, a joint program by the Conservatory and the Basque Cultural Institute, two events are planned. On November 25, there will be an open house at the Oldeak studio in the Cité des Arts of Bayonne, with the participation of dancers from the Zabala module.
On December 2, a tribute will be paid to the renowned Basque musician Joseba Tapia. Students from the conservatory and the Herri Arte eskola music school will gather at the Cité des Arts of Bayonne to perform his repertoire.
In late January, a special 150th-anniversary Night of Conservatories will feature mini-performances, workshops, and surprise concerts.
Two new initiatives mark this program: Asteakada, the Conservatory's Fridays, will offer discovery evenings at the branches in Bayonne, Biarritz, Hendaye, and Saint-Palais, allowing students to gain stage experience.
Finally, as part of Ikasle nomadak – the nomadic conservatory, advanced students will perform in various locations in the Basque Country: the Bideak space in Saint-Palais on October 12, the Lahonce Abbey on November 5, the Ospitalea in Irissarry on December 9, 2026, and Lekuona Fabrika on January 23, 2027. Other events will complement this first act of the 150th anniversary.
The celebration of the Maurice-Ravel Conservatory's 150 years will unfold in two acts. After this first part (September 2026 - January 2027), the program for February to June 2027 will be unveiled in December. Events are free and require prior online reservation via the Conservatory's agenda.
Founded in 1876 in Bayonne as a municipal music school, the institution evolved to become a Regional Conservatory, then the Maurice-Ravel Regional Radiance Conservatory. Since 2019, it has been part of the Pays Basque Conservatory, funded by the Communauté d’agglomération Pays Basque. It teaches about fifty disciplines to nearly 2,000 students across Bayonne, Biarritz, Hendaye, and Saint-Palais.
