My friend the trumpeter Frédéric Demers is in the spotlight in this article in the music magazine Fanfare. The article is signed by James Reel and gives a critic about the album “Caranaval et Concertos” produced last year and contains an interview with Frédéric. I had the opportunity to collaborate with Frédéric on this production by writing some arrangements. I even composed the jazz section within the “Carnaval de Montéal” based upon the “Carnaval of Venice”. He is a wonderful man an a great artist to discover.
Compositions
World Premiere of “Duel”
Yesterday night in Saint-Jérôme, the young pianist Philippe Prud’Homme made the world premiere of my piano piece Duel. I was there with my wife. Philippe took it off with flying colors. He told me his intention of making a recording of it for a futur demo after Hollydays. His program was quite ambitious. We have to realize that Philippe has barely six years of piano behind him at age 18. Still he shows mastery and great musicality. Check him out in the future.
Composer in residency
I begin a wonderful experience. The renowned FACE School picked me as their composer in residency in order to celebrate their 35th anniversary. This includes four workshops about the fundamentals of composition for the students of grade 10 and 11. I will also compose close to forty minutes of music for their different ensembles: choir, string orchestra, concert band, percussions and other wind and brass formations. Already I met with the students and they produced some great composition material: melodic and rythmic motives plus some voice effects as well. You can read the press release.
If you wish to share some of your teaching experience in public school about composition, feel free to do so.
Communiqué novembre 2009ENGLISHThe Legend of King Arthus
Music excerpt from the play