La Boîte à Musique (The Music Box) is a voluntary association (French law 1901) created in March 1999 and located at the Friche la Belle de Mai in Marseilles since 2004. For 20 years, drummer and composer Ahmad Compaoré, main coordinator of La Boîte à Musique, has been striving to enrich the local musical heritage, increase encounters and cross experiences by setting up projects with musicians from different backgrounds and of international scope. The wish to promote Marseilles and to highlight its richness is fulfilled through professional artists invited to work there as part of residencies of creation and enables those who live there to discover the specificities which fuel creativity. Besides, thanks to the musical practice workshops started in 1996, La Boîte à Musique aims to awaken among children the wish to discover music, learn, meet others and carry out projects while stimulating their imagination and developing their personality. This approach led to the formation of the "Musique Rebelle Junior" collective, gathering the workshops most efficient pupils to participate in end-of-year shows and other artistic events.

Object:
• Music awareness and learning for children through musical awakening
• Training and practice of various musical disciplines open to all
• Creation, production, promotion, distribution and publishing of musical productions

Activities:
• Musical practice workshops given at the Friche la Belle de Mai and in several schools of the region (Marseilles, Aix, Avignon, Aubagne...).
• Classes (group or private) in drums and contemporary percussion instruments provided by Ahmad Compaoré: to go beyond sheer technique to give an interpretation.
• Live promotion: "Musique Rebelle" festival, party-concerts, public rehearsals, end-of-year shows with the workshops participants.
• Artist career development, booking and concert production.
• Hosting of artists in residence and supply of technical facilities.
• One-off training courses in percussion instruments and African dance run by a traditional group from Burkina Faso.