Our Story

Joan Koenig founded L’Ecole Koenig-The American Conservatory in 1986 with a total of 10 students. By the beginning of the following school year, L’Ecole counted 100 enrollments.

L’Ecole Koenig has never ceased developing and expanding its programs. Joan Koenig’s research and innovative work with music and early childhood, along with her talented teaching team, have earned the conservatory a solid reputation in the Parisian community.

Further fruit of this research, the Preschool for Music & Art opened its doors in 2008. The results of the program are exemplary both musically and linguistically. The Preschool for Music & Art, which became the Kindergarten in 2013, is so successful that a second campus was opened in the fall of 2013 and a third was inaugurated in September 2016.

Today, L’Ecole Koenig American Conservatory & Kindergarten comprises 400 students and 300 families.

Our Philosophy

Personal
Discipline

All the fine arts require personal discipline. Young children develop this naturally if they are carefully guided and encouraged.

Inspiration

High-level professional teaching is especially important at a very young age because children need to be inspired, even entranced.

Early-Childhood

Human beings are naturally musical, otherwise music would not exist. A child’s ear can and should be developed as early as possible. The benefits of early musical training will remain throughout his or her life.

High-level Musical
Education

Although the school has grown and diversified in the past quarter century, Joan Koenig and Betsy Schlesinger, Associate Director, have remained uncompromising about the mission of the school; maintaining the highest quality musical instruction in a warm and encouraging environment.

International
Perpectives

Today our staff of 26 musicians/teachers welcomes 400 students every year. Our music conservatory and our preschool / kindergarten are international not only because of their student body and staff, but also because of the international perspectives we offer to our students.

Watch our videos

C'est vraiment à nous, parents (et grands parents) de vous remercier pour tout ce que vous faites, tous, pour nos petits. J'admire infiniment et j'apprécie votre dévouement, votre gaîté, votre inventivité. C'est un privilège d'être accueillis dans votre école.

Claudie Juilliard

grand-mère d'Emma et Léa Juilliard

Ayant fait de la musique pendant de nombreuses années de l’enfance dans un conservatoire de la région parisienne, j’ai souhaité que mes enfants évoluent eux aussi très précocement dans un milieu musical. Nous fréquentons maintenant l’Ecole Koenig depuis 8 ans, les professeurs sont d’excellents musiciens et des enseignants hors pair, ils sont très impliqués et transmettent leur savoir aux élèves dans une ambiance gaie et sans stress. Enfin les nombreuses activités développées par l’école, et leur évolution au fur et à mesure des années témoignent d’un dynamisme soutenu.

Valérie Banini

Mes deux filles, aujourd'hui âgées de 12 et 9 ans, ont fait l'expérience de l'apprentissage de la musique à l'école Koenig dès l'âge de 4 ans. L'éveil musical et la familiarisation avec les instruments leur ont permis de choisir rapidement le violoncelle pour l'aînée et le piano pour la cadette. La qualité de l'enseignement et l'implication de l'équipe pédagogique de l'école Koenig ont un impact essentiel sur la motivation des élèves. Les concerts qui rythment l'année leur permettent de prendre confiance en eux et de s'investir régulièrement dans la dynamique de l'école.

Valérie de Menou

We have stayed at L'Ecole Koenig all these years for the quality of the teachers. Betsy has been an excellent mentor and role model for Tess and I see that in the other Koenig teachers and their students. Your approach is fun and friendly yet challenging.

Laure Millet

Parent

We have three kids at Koenig, 13, 11 and 8 years old (our eldest started at Koenig 8 years ago). We wanted an alternative to the French "classical" teaching method you might find in the 'conservatoires'. L’Ecole Koenig’s pedagogy strengthens the children’s musical consciousness and confidence and they have learnt that serious work is self-rewarding. Even with all the school work and after-school activities claiming their time and attention, all three of them go to their music classes more than willingly.

Teresa Jaubert