Founded in 1987, the Association Mécénat Musical Societe Generale has become one of the key players in the classical music world. In particular, the association supports the Grand Prix Lycéen des Compositeurs, which was founded and organised by La Lettre du Musicien.

How does the Association Mécénat Musical Societe Generale operate?
Since it was founded, our association has always operated in the same way. We have a Management Board which meets twice a year to study projects. You should know that we receive some 500 requests for funding every year. Chaired by cellist Alain Meunier, the Board comprises five key figures from the music industry and five Societe Generale managers, including Séverin Cabannes, Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer. The operational team, which I lead, implements and executes the decisions made by the Management Board on a day-to-day basis.

What is your budget?
We have an annual budget of 1.5 million euros, which does not include our operating expenses. Moreover, this budget has remained stable and not been reduced, despite the turbulent times that our company has experienced recently.

What are your criteria for supporting projects?
Our principle is to support lasting projects and promote continuity rather than “one shot” initiatives. Our sponsorship programme is there to help build and stabilise a project. As a result, our support is structured to last up to nine years. Each year, we have some fifty partnerships in place, which gives us a presence at around 400 concerts annually.

Which classical music sectors do you favour?
First of all, we offer a support system for young musicians, in association with the Paris and Lyon conservatories. Since 1988, we have awarded more than 900 scholarships to students at these two institutions. These scholarships may be used to purchase instruments, attend master classes, etc. Secondly, we support structures that wish to develop. This is how we help ensembles such as Les Siècles, Le Concert d’Astrée and La Chambre Philharmonique; seasons, particularly at the Théâtre des Bouffes-du-Nord; and even festivals, from Colmar to Larzac, etc. We believe that it is equally important to support projects which aim to introduce classical music to new audiences, such as Demos or the Concerts de poche. Lastly, we are one of the few sponsors to adopt a major contemporary-composer commissioning policy. Since 2004, we have commissioned at least thirty works (list available on www.lalettredumusicien.fr).

Tell us about the support you have provided to the Zaïde Quartet
We have always wanted to support a string quartet. After the Debussy, Parisii, Psophos and Ardeo quartets, we are now supporting Zaïde. However, our sponsorship goes beyond just financial support. The quartet also has the use of a reserved room at our head office building in La Défense. In this way, we are aiming to compensate for the lack of rehearsal space in Paris. In addition, the quartet’s lead violinist, Charlotte Juillard, plays a 1796 Joseph Gagliano violin loaned to her by Societe Generale. This is also the case for Jean-Guihen Queyras, to whom we loaned a 1696 Gioffredo Cappa cello.

How do you involve the Company’s employees in your sponsorship initiatives?
You should know that we hold a live entertainment licence, which enables us to hold concerts on our premises. Each year, around fifteen concerts, given by artists that we support, are held exclusively for company employees. Most of the concerts are held in the 250-seat auditorium at our head office in La Défense. These free, one-hour concerts are organised during lunch time and there is a full house every time! I should specify that we do pay the artists who perform at these concerts. The culminating moment of the season is La Fête de la Musique. The concourse of the head office in La Défense is transformed into a concert hall every year to welcome MMSG partners and enable them to share a musical interlude with all employees. Concerts are also organised in other cities in France.

Is sponsorship a communication tool for the company?
In recent years, we have maybe not communicated enough about our activities. A new website will be set up in a few weeks in order to improve this.

And Societe Generale is also supporting the Salle Pleyel…
After supporting the Théâtre du Châtelet at the time when it was directed by Stéphane Lissner and Jean-Pierre Brossmann, since reopening, Societe Generale has been supporting the Salle Pleyel. Furthermore, Societe Generale’s international subsidiaries also support classical music, from Canada to the Czech Republic…

Interview conducted by Antoine Pecqueur

Article published in "La Lettre du Musicien" (The Musician's letter)