School Management

Joan Koenig began the piano when she was 5 years old, followed by the flute. She entered the Juilliard School in 1977 then pursued her studies in France with Alain Marion.

In Europe, Joan played as a soloist and chamber musician with Alexander Lagoya, Patrice Fontanarosa and Frédérique l’Odéon among others. Passionate about teaching, Joan taught in several Parisian conservatories before deciding to create the American Conservatory.

The American Conservatory opened in 1986 with ten flute and piano students. Quickly joined by Betsy Schlesinger, the adventure of the school began and the American Conservatory was born! The school has never ceased developing and expanding its programs. Joan’s innovative work with music and early childhood, along with the talented teaching team, have earned the conservatory a solid reputation in the Parisian community.

While raising two bilingual children, Joan became intrigued with the relationship between music and language. She developed an original, bilingual program enabling children to learn French and English using music as a vector. The fruit of this research, the Preschool for Music and Art opened its doors in 2008. The results of the program are exemplary both musically and linguistically. The Preschool for Music and Art, which became L’Ecole Koenig Kindergarten in 2013, is so successful that a second campus was opened in the fall of 2013.

Betsy Schlesinger

Laureate of the Menuhin Foundation, Betsy Schlesinger earned her degrees at the Eastman School of Music and Yale University. She came to France after having been awarded scholarships by Les Ecoles d’Art américaines in Fontainebleau and the Fondation des Etats-Unis in Paris.
An eclectic pianist, Betsy Schlesinger has devoted many of her concerts to twentieth century music. She recorded Recueil de Pierres Vives, music for piano by the French composer Joel Wissotzky (Cezame Argile). Jean-Jacques Bernard (France-Inter) called her interpretation “simply magnificent, ethereal, wonderfully fluid.” Her collaboration with French baritone Frederic Goncalves includes a live recording for French National Radio of Schubert’s last song cycle, Schwanengesang.

Betsy Schlesinger, and her husband, Laurent Grynszpan, composer and pianist, form the Duo Grynszpan.  At the Salle Wagram in Paris, they recorded Souvenirs de la Belle Epoque (Koka media/Universal) with original compositions by Laurent Grynszpan for piano four hands. In 2011, the duo recorded Olivier Minne Raconte: Ah! Si j’étais….(Taklit) based on music by Jacques Offenbach and arranged by Laurent Grynszpan.
The Duo Grynszpan participated in the creation of the show Méliès, Cabaret Magique: at the Théâtre de la Vieille Grille in Paris, which they have been performing since 2009.

In addition to her artistic activities, Betsy Schlesinger is a very dedicated teacher.

Muriel Ossena

Muriel Ossena grew up in the Champagne-Ardennes region where she studied piano for 10 years. After receiving her hypokhâgne-khâgne at Henri IV High School in Paris, she continued her studies in German & English.

After a 6-month internship at the Goethe-Institut in Washington D.C. and in Atlanta, Georgia, she returned to Paris and has always worked in international settings, in language study vacations, insurance and business schools.

Muriel has been the beloved administrator of L’Ecole Koenig since 2004, allowing her to combine two of her dearest personal interests: language and music.