Parlons Chanson

What? Parlons chanson investigates language through songs – and vice versa. Each week, we focus on a different singer-songwriter (Rivard, Brel, Desjardins, Bori, Ferré, Brassens, etc.) and one of his/her key works. Drawing together artists of different styles, eras and origins, Parlons chanson sets the following learning objectives:

• oral comprehension
• vocabulary
• oral and written expression, through discussion, analysis and criticism of the works
• exploration of the broad range of voices and messages found in la Francophonie’s rich songwriting heritage.

For who? If you ever felt a certain frisson of pleasure or melancholy upon hearing a French song, if you’re in the mood to discover – or rediscover – the great francophone singer-songwriters, and wish to explore this interest in a casual setting, then Parlons chanson should be your next French rendez-vous. Suitable for students who have reached an upper-intermediate or advanced level in French.

Who teaches the course? Born in Ottawa, Dominique Denis has studied the roots and branches of francophone chanson for twenty years, through his work in radio (CJBC, Chaîne culturelle de Radio-Canada), television (Panorama, on TFO) and print media (L’Express de Toronto, Liaison, Chanson). Parlons chanson combines his two passions – sharing music and teaching French – in a format that is both soundly pedagogical and refreshingly casual.

Click here to Pre-Register.