Interviews

The 2026-2027 season of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra has been unveiled. This will be the fifth season under its principal conductor, Rafael Payare, and the OSM’s 93rd season overall. Grand classical concerts, express concerts, film concerts, festive evenings, pop concerts, and youth concerts will feature works by Mahler, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Cassandra Miller, Jimmy Lopez, and Mozart, among others. International stars will perform, including soprano Renée Fleming, pianist Lang Lang, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, violinist Leonidas Kavakos, and the legendary conductor Zubin Mehta, who led the OSM in the 1960s and is its conductor emeritus. The collaboration continues for a second season with Dina Gilbert as associate conductor and composer-in-residence.

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Let’s take a look at some of the OSM’s best picks for the next season, which offers us about fifty distinct programs, by far the most important season of Quebec symphony orchestras.

On September 16 and 17, Rafael Payare and the OSM will launch the season with Mahler, continuing the cycle dedicated to the German composer which began in 2022. Das klagende Lied (The Song of Lament) and excerpts from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy’s Magic Horn) will be on the program.

On September 23, for the first time in over a decade, the OSM will welcome Chinese pianist Lang Lang, undoubtedly a superstar of the ivory, who will play Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, under the direction of Rafael Payare.

On October 8 and 10, the non-classical event of the season could well be Apashe x OSM, one of the best integrations of electronic music in a symphonic context, the Montreal producer (of Belgian origin) has become a master in this field.

On October 21 and 22, the renowned Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos will perform Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto Op. 35, conducted by Rafael Payare, in a program that also includes Elysium by Canadian composer Samy Moussa and The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky. The celebrated Russian composer will also be featured in December with a performance of Petrushka. This same program will also welcome German violinist Veronika Eberle for Mozart’s Concerto No. 5.

For the holiday season, J.S. Bach will be featured in two concerts. On December 8 and 9, the Christmas Oratorio will be performed by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Kent Nagano, in collaboration with the Montreal International Bach Festival. On December 10, organist Olivier Latry will play works by Bach transcribed by himself and by great organists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Finally, the festivities will culminate at Maison symphonique on December 17 with the group Le Vent du Nord, a leading force in Quebec traditional music, this time in a symphonic setting.

On January 12 and 13, Rafael Payare and the OSM welcome the renowned soprano Renée Fleming, who will perform Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene, a multimedia project presented in collaboration with National Geographic. The program will also include the first movement of Symphony No. 4 by composer-in-residence Jimmy López.

In April, the Mozart Festival presents three programs. On April 8 and 11, Rafael Payare and the OSM welcome pianists Charles Richard-Hamelin, Meagan Milatz, and Kevin Chen for a rare event: the Concerto for Three Pianos No. 7. Mozart’s operatic works are featured in two programs the following week: the Great Mass in C minor, the Exultate, jubilate, and the Serenade Eine kleine Nachtmusik are performed on the 14th. On April 15 and 17, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, with librettist Da Ponte, will be presented, featuring soloists Michèle Lozier, Gustavo Castillo, and Jenny Daviet.

In May, cellist Alisa Weilerstein will join the OSM and (her husband) Rafael Payare for three programs exploring the symphonic imagination of Richard Strauss. The season will close on May 25 and 26 with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and the world premiere of Jimmy Lopez’s Symphony No. 6, “Monarch,” a co-commission by the OSM and the San Diego Symphony.

Let’s not forget the OSM-style film concerts, presented here by Marianne Perron, Head of Artistic Direction: “How do we position ourselves in relation to other film music offerings with a symphony orchestra? It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves from time to time since we started doing them after the inauguration of the Maison symphonique. Generally, one, two, or three productions per year, and always one with organ. Our initial motivation was to revive this tradition of organ improvisation, as it once existed to accompany silent films.”

“We had many questions about programming with the orchestra, even when there weren’t that many ensembles doing it. So, we opted for great film classics, the first being Battleship Potemkin. I had a classical approach, meaning films with great cinematic and musical value, films that have become classics. So Metropolis will be screened on January 19, 2027, with a performance of Gottfried Huppertz’s original score conducted by Franz Strobel, and Nosferatu on October 29, with organist Jason Roberts, and The Nightmare Before Christmas on November 26 and 27. There’s a lot of musical value in blockbusters, but one of the elements I felt was missing was the role of the music, meaning that many films have around thirty minutes of music.”

Finally, what is Marianne Perron most proud of in the unveiling of this 2026-2027 program?

“What I’m most proud of is the commitment and creativity of our team, including our music programming director, Ronald Vermeulen. Take, for example, our opera productions in concert versions. We aren’t opera production specialists, but we have an extremely strong and original offering, shaped differently to reflect our commitment to causes like the environment and emerging Indigenous culture. This commitment makes us proud.”

And what is the OSM’s principal conductor, Rafael Payare, most proud of in this program? “First, the Mahler opening concert, Das Klagende Lied, of course, on September 16 and 17. The Mozart Festival from April 8 to 17, 2027 – Three Pianos for Mozart, the Great Mass in C, Don Giovanni. The symphonic imagination of Richard Strauss, on May 10 and 20, 2027, not to mention the symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben on February 14. Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8, which we will perform on February 10 and 11, not to mention the 10th, which I will conduct this summer at the Lanaudière Festival, on July 18.” Finally, I like the idea of ​​presenting Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in the same program to close the season alongside Symphony No. 6, Monarch, by Peruvian composer-in-residence Jimmy López, who draws inspiration from the monarch butterfly’s long migration from Canada to Mexico. I also like the idea of ​​the “Around Stravinsky” program, that is, The Firebird in a program that also includes Elysium by Canadian composer Samy Moussa and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto Op. 35 with Leonidas Kavakos.

In January 2023, it was announced that La Zarra, a Montreal singer who had achieved great radio success with the hit song “Tu t’en iras,” would represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, UK. In May 2023, she would therefore perform “Évidemment” at this famous European competition, which Céline Dion had won earlier in its history.

Upon seeing her score given by the public as too low, the singer made a gesture that was interpreted at the time as giving the middle finger, which generated discontent among some, including managers at France 2 involved with the competition. Zarra refuted these accusations of impoliteness stemming from a supposed middle finger gesture, which she insisted had no such meaning whatsoever.

Whether it was a middle finger gesture or not, this event marked the beginning of a precipitous fall, even faster than her meteoric rise. The French tabloids turned on her, and her European career suffered profoundly. Traumatized, the Quebec singer declared that she had been “a victim of racism and manipulation.”

And then…

Three years later, La Zarra, whose real name is Fatima-Zahra Hafdi, intends to prove to the pop world that her career was not a flash in the pan. After founding her own company, she undertook to produce a second album: Der Zimmel (The Sky), whose songs really have very little to do with Tu t’en iras.

A unique blend of classic French chanson and Americana, this self-produced album was created in close collaboration with artists Clément Langlois-Légaré, Adel Kazi-Aoual, Claire Ridgely, Félix Dyotte, and Patrick Krief. La Zarra’s fresh start begins here, and she intends to retrace all the steps to win back her audience.

Here’s what she has to tell us!

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : Yes, that’s true, but then, as you say, in pop music, well, I don’t consider myself to be making popular music against my will. We made two songs that came about, “Tu t’en iras,” for example, which was really at the end of the album. And well, what happened, happened, so afterwards, it kind of positioned me in the pop music scene, let’s say, in that kind of format. But that wasn’t my initial intention. Afterwards, I think maybe it’s to my advantage, but perhaps I have no real understanding of the consequences and what this or that means.

PAN M 360: So you had other intentions than making radio hits with electro music behind them?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi: I make music, and if I can offer it to my audience and make a decent living from it, I will continue to make it.

PAN M 360: You can count on an audience anyway, but how do you assess its size since what happened at Eurovision?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : I don’t know. That’s the least of my worries, all that stuff. I imagine that, like with everything, I think there are people who are like you, for whom the important thing is the music. Then there were all the other personalities involved. We do live in a time when entertainment really comes from all channels, including, of course, social media. There are people who like it, others less so. But I think that today, I have a very loyal audience.

PAN M 360: And who are these loyal fans?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : It’s an audience from whom I constantly receive feedback. “How come you sing about my life?” So, we really have this somewhat melancholic connection from our respective stories, we live them together through my songs.

PAN M 360: Artists like you are mirrors of other people’s lives. You come from a modest or ordinary background, like the vast majority of human beings. So, it’s certain that your audience can see themselves in you.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : These are our life stories, our love stories, the injustices we’ve experienced, whether social or at work—there will always be some. Speaking openly about them, managing to transcribe them in a slightly more poetic way, is sure to resonate with the audience.

PAN M 360: Let’s talk about the process of the new album, we want the story of how you decided to pick yourself up and make this album.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : I was really tired, even before Eurovision. It was starting to get intense, both mentally and physically. After Eurovision, I finally went back to Quebec with my daughter—who is now 17. It did me a world of good to get back to my routine, my friends, my family. Then I thought, OK, what do I do now? Do I still want to make music? So many compromises, so many sacrifices… I felt I’d already made so many. And I finally agreed that I had more to give. And then there was another decision to make. Do I buy my beautiful country house in Tuscany, or do I pursue this project?

PAN M 360: So what?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : Thanks to a pretty good support system, I managed to complete this project. I still had this desire to make music, this desire to sing. And I also think I felt like I hadn’t been able to accomplish what I wanted when I started. So there was this feeling of being a bit unfinished; I hadn’t been allowed to do things the way I wanted. Now, I have the opportunity to do it the way I see fit. Even so, it was still difficult.

PAN M 360: We had to take action again, which is no small feat.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :During the first studio sessions, I couldn’t write, I couldn’t find any melodies. When I recorded something, people would tell me, “Ah, that’s great, that’s good, that’s beautiful.” I felt like it wasn’t. Even my own voice irritated me. I felt like I was listening to someone else, nothing appealed to me. So I decided to travel. In Italy, in Morocco, I met lots of people, I met musicians, I had time to live and gather new stories. It was essential because I hadn’t had any time for myself since the beginning of this adventure in 2021. It was plane, hotel, sleep, set.

PAN M 360: How did you want to package your songs?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  First of all, this is super important. I feel like a lot of people refer to my previous project as if it were just FM pop. But it’s true, some of the songs on the first album are similar to those on this one, actually.

PAN M 360: And what exactly do they look like?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  There are a lot of orchestrations, which is super important to me. I wanted to keep that style of grand French songs, full of epic arrangements, to create a sense of grandeur. I listened to a lot of Nancy Sinatra during the creative process and decided to work with the renowned producer Patrick Kreif on the songs “Johnny,” “Tombe les fleurs,” and “Beau garçon.”

I wanted to have that feel, but also an Americana element because it really resonates with me and takes me somewhere else. Very cinematic! And for the next album, I worked with Clément Langlois-Légaré (Clay and Friends) on “Entre mes doigts.” In fact, each collaborator brought what they did best, whether it was Patrick with the Americana elements or Clément with the more modern sound. I was able to offer something new, but which still has echoes of the first album.

PAN M 360: So you didn’t want to go back to the electronic approach of your supertube that launched you.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : The goal of this project was to create zero songs designed for radio success as we understand it today. However, if you listen to a song like “La ballade des perds” (The Ballad of the Losers), it’s a song I would play on the radio. But today’s radio has to sound like this or that famous artist. But I’m certain that we can move away from those parameters and still be successful. We’ll see how it goes. It’s a gamble, and I hope I’m right.

PAN M 360: Whatever happens, you will have tried to do it your way.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : Yes, and I had no intention of radio or pop success. What was important to me was to tell the story of this recent period of my life through song. That said, I’m still a good up-tempo singer and I might surprise you again! More songs will be ready this summer, the creativity is flowing, and I’ll also be bombarding you with songs at La Zarra!

PAN M 360: The return of synth-pop?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  I’m going to give you a good pop song in the style of Zarra.

PAN M 360: In general in pop music, the character, the lyrics and the voice of the person are part of the work, and that’s also the case for you!

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : I never had that thought.

PAN M 360: It’s my job to think about that.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : That’s good, because I don’t really like thinking about it.

PAN M 360: Artists may not have to think about it, indeed.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : But you still have to be pragmatic about what’s achievable. I feel like I’m still at the beginning of my musical exploration. So I could release another electro album, or surprise people with a country album. You also have to make choices so as not to confuse the audience.

PAN M 360: You no longer work with a label, you’re going it alone, aren’t you?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  Yes, it’s my structure, my organization. I manage everything. The business managers who helped me at the beginning have given me back the reins. But I’ve always been at the heart of the project. Even when I was under contract with a label, I was doing pretty much the same work. I was always intervening with my project managers.

PAN M 360: Your career path could resemble that of Yseult, who enjoyed great success in France.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  She was right to do it. Look at the results now!

PAN M 360: If it’s successful in the long run, it’s sure to guarantee you much better income and also gives you freedom of action with risk capital that you can keep to pursue other ventures. And the rest of the money will go into your retirement fund.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : That’s exactly it. I’m betting on myself; I won’t be able to blame anyone but myself if it doesn’t work out. But I’m mostly afraid of disappointing my audience if it doesn’t work out.

PAN M 360: The album Der Himmel is an open book, the narrative thread of your recent journey.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  I wanted songs that reflected my state of mind when I started working on this project. I was full of uncertainty, a little lost in my intentions. Emotionally and mentally, I was exhausted. The first two songs, “Tomber les fleurs” (Falling the Flowers) and “Entre mes doigts” (Between My Fingers), capture that state of mind. Then I met some people who led me to see this work in a very positive light. It made me want to write songs that offer a little more hope and love. I decided I wasn’t going to cut anything from these personal revelations, that the audience would have a right to a certain intimacy.

PAN M 360: It’s autobiographical in diffraction. Not too much?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi :  I’ve been exposed so much in the past, and it wasn’t my real story. This time, I thought, since I’m going to do it anyway, I’ll go all in. Even though I’m different from who I was when I started making music. I’m less private about my personal life; I’ve gotten used to being in the public eye, and I can let people into my personal world.

PAN M 360: What did you learn from the adversity you experienced during the Eurovision era?

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : I know I’m someone who doesn’t have regrets. If I had to do it all over again, I’d do the same thing during that time, beyond the gesture that was interpreted as a middle finger. I know myself. I agreed to play that game, with some people in that environment who were perhaps darker than I expected. Maybe I should have listened to myself and not listened to what others were telling me. At the same time, if I hadn’t gone through that, I wouldn’t have the tools I have today for what comes next. Because I want to make music for a long time. 

PAN M 360: In a way, we have to start from scratch because there won’t be a radio tube to recreate the buzz.

Fatima-Zahra Hafdi : Yes, first I’ll have to play small venues and fill them with emotion. I’ll have to do all the little things I should have done from the start. It’ll come back. I’ll have confidence in myself. I’ll be comfortable.

Éric Dion laid the foundations of his songwriting within the Gaspé duo Dans l’Shed, which he formed with André Lavergne, a fact he further elaborates on in the solo phase of his career. This winter, Éric Dion released L’origine du vent, a self-produced album licensed to the Acadian label Le Grenier musique. Co-produced with Martin Hogan and Éric Blanchard and recorded at Studio Hogan in Grande-Rivière, this album showcases Éric Dion’s growth in his “gaspericana” quest—to borrow the title of his previous album with Dans l’Shed (2018). This neologism is inspired by the established genre on the continent, Americana, which PAN M 360 often refers to as “kebamericana” when discussing this style favored in French-Canadian song. Here’s a regional variation! The songs on this album are poetic reflections of a life lived in Éric Dion’s hometown of New Richmond, in the Bay of Chaleurs, and also in other evocative places in his beloved Gaspé Peninsula. A life set to rhyme, in short: loves, passions, breakups, friendships, parenthood, escapes, and getaways in the Gaspé wilderness. Reached at his home for a video interview, he tells us about the origins of his songs, which are anything but… hot air.

On Saturday, April 4th at the Dièse Onze club in Montreal, trumpeter Jacques Kuba Séguin will host three excellent musicians from the rich Polish jazz scene. Rafał Sarnecki on guitar, Piotr Lemańczyk on double bass, and Adam Golicki on drums will step onto a Canadian stage for the first time. And this will only be the beginning of a Canadian tour that will then take them to Halifax, Edmonton, Calgary, among others. I spoke with ‘Kuba’ about this tour and the Polish program that supports the international export of its best musical talents, a potential source of inspiration for Quebec.

DETAILS AND TICKETS

The pianist Gentiane MG is releasing her fourth album on March 27, 2026. Can You Hear the Birds? resumes the format dear to the Quebec artist, namely the classic jazz trio (piano-double bass-drums). Discussion with Gentiane, for whom birds become the metaphor for a more attentive listening to the world around us.

In addition to a European tour in April, Gentiane will also embark on a Canadian tour in November, with a preview in Quebec city in May.

Canadian tour

May 21 – Québec – Palais Montcalm

05/11 – Vancouver

06/11 – Edmonton

07/11 – Calgary

08/11 – Saskatoon

13/11 – Toronto

14/11 – Waterloo

Originally, this track, written several years ago, was intended for David Cairol’s album, but following a phone call from Taïro, a new, more dub-influenced version emerged, adding a note of hope to the original. And this song is particularly timely given the current global context.

For his first two albums, David Cairol, a singer-songwriter from the Basque coast, was primarily a solo artist. But since then, he has been involved in numerous collaborations. His many trips to Jamaica have allowed him to forge strong connections over the years and to meet several big names in Jamaican reggae.

After the debut single “Building Bridges,” which spawned a series of EPs titled “Bridges,” the track “Ticket pour Mars” is featured in the “French Bridges” series. Our journalist Sandra Gasana spoke with the artist live from Biarritz to learn more about the song and his artistic journey.







Except for a side project launched in 2018 (Avenues), K.Maro had slowed down the pace since 2010, the year of the release of the album 01.10. We were already far from the glory generated in 2002 by the hits from the album I Am à l’ancienne, followed by La good life in 2004 and Perfect Stranger in 2008.

Place de Loréane Vol.1 is not a hip-hop album; it is another life of K.Maro expressed through a blend of French chanson and synth-pop/synthwave without denying the hip-hop flavors of his previous lives. K.Maro sees in this new inspiration “a retro-futuristic journey that explores the intersections between machines and the organic, technology and the analogue, and above all, that plunges us back into the 80s/90s while being irresistibly modern and current.”

In 2025, Cyril Kamar (by his real name) first toured with a commemorative show from his glorious era, during which the Montrealer of Lebanese origin ignited (mostly) Francophone Europe. Years of involvement in the world of production and recording followed, and here he is back to creation, but this time in the form of quality pop songs, with carefully crafted lyrics, carrying a worried and concerned realism.

K.Maro is also back on stage, this time in more intimate settings. On April 1st at Ausgang Plaza, K.Maro will perform material from his new album, all sprinkled with classics surely desired by his fans. Surrounded by samplers, beatboxes, and other analog synthesizers, K.Maro will perform alongside Olivier Pépin, known as Jalouse, as well as keyboardist Sheenah Ko. Meet at Place de Loréane on… Plaza Saint-Hubert!

To learn more about K.Maro, watch this great interview!

TICKETS AND INFO HERE

What remains of beauty in this formidable era? The Montreal pianist and composer Gentiane MG asks the question: Can You Hear the Birds? And answers it with 8 pieces of modern jazz, alongside bassist Levi Dover and drummer Mark Nelson, with whom she has been working for some time and with whom she has established her signature as a pianist, composer, and leader. The album will be released on March 27, under the Effendi label, which handles its distribution.

An experience “rooted in trust, intuition, and collective expression,” as the promotional notes rightly say. Gentiane’s fourth album, Can You Hear the Birds?, is the album of the moment for Quebec jazz trios, in terms of groove, harmonic richness, cohesion, and overall sound.

Among other insightful information about her work, you will notice in this video interview that Gentiane MG initiated a unique methodology for this album, that is, based on “a creative process rooted in listening rather than intellectual construction, giving the music a sense of immediacy, fluidity, and lived experience.” This was manifested through an initial oral transmission of her compositional wishes, which were then structured around sheet music.

In short, watch this interview!

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« Spiritual » et « content » sont deux mots qui, lorsqu’ils sont associés, forment un préambule ironique et aplati à un album musical. Mais pour un groupe comme Sunglaciers, dont la musique se situe quelque part entre l’art-pop et le punk, les contradictions sont inhérentes au processus.

Spiritual Content, sorti aujourd’hui chez Mothland Records, ne déroge pas à l’esprit d’expérimentation qui caractérise le groupe.

Comme ils l’expliquent, leur nouvel album apporte quelque chose de totalement nouveau à leur écriture : une approche tournée vers l’autre, qui raconte des histoires sans lien avec eux-mêmes. De cette manière, les chansons sont plus détachées personnellement, tout en restant étrangement plus intimes. Accentué par un vaste spectre de styles, Spiritual Content suggère un sentiment de « universalité » qui relie la narration dans son ensemble. Peu à peu, le titre de l’album prend tout son sens.

Un album instrumental complet qui tient ensemble semble presque miraculeux dans l’industrie musicale actuelle. Est-ce une simple coïncidence, une force de la nature ? À la suite de cette interview, je commence à suspecter que ce n’est ni l’un ni l’autre, car la dévotion de toute une vie des Sunglaciers à leur art signifie simplement qu’ils ont un instinct affiné pour la poésie musicale.

PAN M 360 : Tout d’abord, félicitations.

Sunglaciers : Merci ! Nous en sommes fiers et impatients de le partager.

PAN M 360 : Spiritual Content arrive deux ans après Regular Nature. Est-ce un hasard ou y a-t-il un lien entre les deux ?

Sunglaciers : En fait, nos trois derniers albums (Subterranea, Regular Nature et maintenant Spiritual Content) sont tous sortis fin mars, à deux ans d’intervalle. Peut-être que c’est une coïncidence ; ou peut-être sommes-nous responsables de vous donner le mal du printemps (ou des allergies).

PAN M 360 : Les crédits de l’album sont partagés entre Evan Resnik, Mathieu Blanchard et Nyssa Brown. À quoi ressemblait le processus d’écriture, de l’idée initiale à l’enregistrement en studio ?

Sunglaciers : Kyle Crough est là aussi ! On ne peut pas oublier notre Road King. L’Illuminator. Lui et Nyssa sont les meilleurs ! Cette collection de chansons a commencé avec Mathieu et moi en créant des grooves et des passages avec batterie et basse. Une fois les structures établies, il était plus facile d’ajouter des mélodies vocales et quelques instruments au mix. Nous voulions adopter la même approche pour chaque chanson afin de créer un fil sonore entre elles et les coller ensemble. Garder l’album cohérent. Notre son évolue toujours et peut être spontané ; cette approche nous a en quelque sorte permis de choisir une ambiance et de rester dedans.

PAN M 360 : « Future Free » s’inspire d’Emily Roebling et d’autres figures historiques peu reconnues. Y a-t-il eu un catalyseur spécifique, ou une accumulation d’événements, qui a rendu ce thème essentiel à l’album ?

Sunglaciers : Mathieu a été un moteur dans mon apprentissage depuis quelques années. Il est très doué pour suggérer des directions intéressantes à prendre, et c’est son idée de sortir notre écriture de nous-mêmes pour cet album et raconter des histoires inspirantes. Beaucoup de cela vient de la lecture de livres sur l’histoire, la musique et les musiciens, ainsi que du visionnage de documentaires et de programmes télévisés. L’histoire de Roebling est essentiellement celle de la première femme ingénieure de terrain au monde, au début des années 1900. Elle est devenue ingénieure en chef du pont de Brooklyn, un peu secrètement au début, lorsque son mari a eu le mal de décompression, mais comme il ne s’est jamais remis, elle a officiellement pris la relève. Pour Eddy, c’était une combinaison de son approche novatrice et éclectique de la production, et de tous les obstacles qu’il a rencontrés en tant que personne de couleur dans un lieu étranger. Bien qu’il soit connu pour Electric Avenue, il a aussi produit et écrit beaucoup de morceaux intéressants pour d’autres.

PAN M 360 : J’ai été surpris de voir J Dilla cité comme inspiration pour « Dead Stop ». Qu’est-ce qui dans son travail vous a touchés ?

Sunglaciers : Oui, un peu la même chose ! Dilla était évidemment un virtuose du sampling, et le sampling est quelque chose qui nous a beaucoup intéressés lors de l’enregistrement de notre premier LP sur Mothland, Subterranea. La capacité de créer quelque chose de totalement magique et nouveau à partir de quelques segments découpés d’art oublié, c’est super intéressant. Il avait aussi une éthique de travail implacable. Il était infatigable dans tout ce qu’il faisait. Une approche incessante de l’expérimentation, des nouvelles idées, et simplement mettre le travail, même sur son lit de mort. Depuis le début du groupe, nous développons une relation plus forte et plus intime avec la musique, et créer beaucoup de musique est quelque chose que nous ferons jusqu’au bout !

PAN M 360 : Qu’est-ce qui vous a motivés à traverser les moments difficiles et à terminer cet album ?

Sunglaciers : La gratitude pour notre position en tant que groupe, notre amitié croissante et l’amour que nous ressentons de la part de notre label et de notre communauté. Les histoires mentionnées plus haut et l’apprentissage de l’histoire aident aussi à mettre les choses en perspective. C’est ça, c’est notre truc. Pas forcément Sunglaciers, mais la création musicale en général. Et les gens ont essayé de faire cela, d’une manière ou d’une autre, depuis des milliers d’années, des milliers ! Quand quelque chose vaut la peine d’être fait, on apprend assez tôt qu’il faudra accepter les revers qui viennent avec. Je ne vais pas laisser un contretemps, une déception ou un désaccord m’empêcher de faire quelque chose à plus grande échelle. La vie est trop courte pour se laisser peser par les petites choses – il y a du boulot !

PAN M 360 : Sunglaciers a été décrit comme de « l’art-pop post-tout avec une attitude punk ». Y a-t-il eu un moment particulier où vous avez vraiment senti que vous aviez trouvé le son du groupe ?

Sunglaciers : Je pense qu’il y a eu un moment où nous avons trouvé une « essence » dans la façon dont nos tendances créatives individuelles interagissent entre elles. Et je pense qu’aujourd’hui nous en sommes à un point où nous pouvons reconnaître quand nous avons capturé cette essence dans une idée de chanson et dire : « ça mérite d’être une chanson. » Ce n’est pas un son, à proprement parler, mais plutôt un ressenti. Si nous avons un « son », j’aimerais qu’il soit toujours en mouvement tout en restant distinctement nous. Je veux avoir plusieurs « sons » différents qui contiennent ce sentiment spécial et ineffable qui fait dire à quelqu’un : « Ah, ça, c’est définitivement Sunglaciers. » Comme Bowie ou Cate Le Bon !

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Organ American virtuoso Cameron Carpenter is back at the Palais Montcalm!  In 2024, he performed for the  10th anniversary of its grand organ, featuring a memorable program including the JS Bach’s Goldberg Variations and  Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This April 25th, he  will perform his own soundtrack for the legendary silent film The Phantom of the Opera,  inspired by Gaston Leroux’s novel. In Quebec City, he will play while the movie will be screened in its restored version with French subtitles. Cameron Carpenter is a very special artist, he developed not only dazzling mastery and virtuosity on the instrument, but also undeniable skill as a composer and arranger. His approach includes classical repertoire but also great music from other styles, from Astor Piazzolla to Burt Bacharach. And his rock attitude, his unconventional look or his iconoclastic way of presenting himself add the finishing touch. While on tour, he answered PAN M 360 questions and provided great answers!

TICKETS & INFOS HERE


PAN M 360 : When this movie was presented in1925, some music was played.  Over one century, I suppose that many pieces have been played live and I also suppose that you did some research and maybe some of those researches had an impact on your own composition. 

Cameron Carpenter : Live music was always part of silent film since its inception, in more or less sophisticated ways depending on the time and place. In smaller theaters, a piano – or, sometimes, the bizarre “Photoplayer”, a primitive combination of organ, piano and percussion instruments which emerged before the development of the theatre organ – was used. In larger venues, orchestral music was first used, until largely replaced by the more effective (and cheaper) theatre organ, primarily as developed by Wurlitzer.

PAN M 360 : Can you give us some elements of understanding for your own score? How was that built, roughly speaking ? Is there some room for improvisation?  

Cameron Carpenter : The score includes both composed and improvised elements. 

PAN M 360 : Anyone who follows your career knows that you are an authentic game changer in organ playing and also composing for this instrument. In that particular program presented at Palais Montcalm, what are the different or unexpected elements brought to the table? 

Cameron Carpenter : That would depend on the varying expectations of the individual. In general, silent film is interesting partly because it represents a juxtaposition of the familiar (film) with the unfamiliar, or new (live music, and new music, live to screen). Even though more or less everyone is aware of the existence of silent film in some remote way, comparatively few people have any contemporary experience of it.

PAN M 360 : Organ fits perfectly with Le Fantôme de l’opéra. It has been also used for many horror, vampire movies, fantastic movies, it became a sort of cliché. I’m sure that you want to avoid any cliché, so can we expect a totally different approach from you?

Cameron Carpenter : Not necessarily. Cliche can be very useful, and is after all just another aesthetic device. Anyway, it’s notoriously hard to get anyone to agree on what cliche in music really is. We are, after all, living in a time when the music of Florence Price, Ludovico Einaudi and Hans Zimmer commands puzzlingly huge audiences. 

PAN M 360 : From the ultimate genius JS Bach to Astor Piazzolla to Mussorgsky or even Burt Bacharach, your musical spectrum is quite wide !  Your background and education are classical, but you sit somewhere else, in this place where any kind of music inspires you. Can you describe the key moments (or periods) in your artistic life that made you different  from the classical players, what you are today as a player, as an arranger and a composer ?  

Cameron Carpenter : It may not always seem like it from outside, but I’m a thoroughly classical musician and in many ways a rather conservative person at heart. All of my training has been rigorously classical. I’m more influenced by having had to make a nontraditional path with a traditional instrument, since unlike most organists, I have no church, teaching or orchestral position.

PAN M 360 : Regarding the perception of your work, did you suffer from the « fundamentalist » point of view in classical music criticism or did you always ignored it? 

Cameron Carpenter : Neither, but not from any huge personal strength or conviction. It just turns out that past a certain point of professional accomplishment – or, at least, activity – it doesn’t greatly matter. The need to express a negative, usually condescending opinion is usually related only to personal insecurity, and music criticism last played a role in career development in the 1920’s and 30’s. 

PAN M 360 : Nowadays,  organ is undergoing a renaissance, and you’re one of the key players of this renaissance – we also think about Anna Lapwood, Olivier Latry, Ben Bloor, Thierry Escaich, Paul Jacobs, etc. How do you explain this comeback? 

Cameron Carpenter : It is not a comeback, since the organ is not now revisiting any earlier era of its existence. This is a new period, largely due to the proliferation of the digital organ, which has made the instrument more accessible to more people. There are also, statistically, more people studying classical music in general, and playing it at a higher level, than ever before – just as there are more people on the planet than ever before. It’s really not that complicated.

PAN M 360 : Among other things, the organ was built originally to reproduce the sound of small or big ensembles. Now in 2026, digital or analog keyboards or even music softwares can also evoke orchestral works. What is the new role (or identity) for the organ? 

Cameron Carpenter : One has to balance the idea of the organ “renaissance” with the joint reality that everything, now, is niche – one either plays primarily popular music for a large audience, to the damnation of the organ community (Anna Lapwood) or classical organ music for the classical organ community, to the profound disinterest of everyone else. The world has become a strangely pigeonholed place. I’m not sure it’s possible to predict anything in such an environment. 

As for the organ, it has existed for more than 2600 years and remains impassive, aloof, and as always, merely a machine. It requires no loose talk about “the soul of the organ”, the “King of Instruments”, etc. – all this is marketing. The organ’s future existence was already assured in digital form long before the advent of digital computing, as the organ is itself an information system operating in binary. Notes are on or off – stops are on or off – the key is played fully, or not at all. Binary. It foretells the digital organ.

PAN M 360 : Organ is not a static instrument, and you are a vibrant illustration of its evolution. In 2014, you created the International Touring Organ (ITO), a custom-built digital organ. Can you explain to your audience how this instrument is different and how it has been renovated (or not) since a decade?

Cameron Carpenter : That organ hasn’t existed since 2021. If it did, I would still be playing it. Covid destroyed the organ, first financially and then – as failed attempts were made to house and save it – physically. I’m currently at the cusp of announcing a new organ.

PAN M 360: What are the next steps for your instrument? For you as a player? As a composer? Next projects after this tour? 
Cameron Carpenter : I hope to develop myself more as a person, not only as a musician.

Publicité panam

The University of Montreal Big Band will welcome Cuban-Canadian pianist Hilario Durán this Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m., in the Claude Champagne Hall at the UdeM Faculty of Music.

Hilario Durán is a virtuoso pianist, as well as an award-winning composer and arranger.

Throughout his long career, he has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Chucho Valdés, Arturo Sandoval, and Paquito D’Rivera, among other musicians. Our contributor Michel Labrecque discussed this very promising concert with Hilario Durán, conducted by trumpeter João Lenhari, director of the Big Band.

TICKETS AND INFO HERE

PAN M 360: Hilario Duran, you have recorded as much solo as in Big Band and in many other configurations. How would you describe the music you make?

Hilario Duran:  It’s Cuban or Afro-Cuban jazz, but I also have classical, South American, and Caribbean influences. I’m interested in so many genres; I love mixing traditions with modern harmonies. 

PAN M 360: Your latest album is called Cry Me a River, it was released in 2023, and it’s a big band album, is this a form of composition that you particularly enjoy? I imagine we’ll hear part of it during Thursday’s concert.

Hilario Duran:  Yes, an 18-piece band in Toronto, where I’ve lived for 30 years. The band is made up of equal numbers of Latin American and Canadian musicians. I love arranging music for large ensembles. My friend, saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, also contributed to this album. It features standards like Dizzy Gillespie’s “Night in Tunisia” as well as original compositions.

PAN M 360: João Lenhari, what does the arrival of Hilario Durán with your Big Band represent for you; can we speak of a privilege?

Joâo Lenhari: We are very excited to welcome Hilario; he is not only a great pianist but also a great arranger. It’s wonderful for Montreal, a city of great diversity, to open itself up to a variety of musical styles. At the Faculty of Music, we already have a world music program, directed by the Cuban Julian Gutierrez. This will be a great challenge for our students, as Hilario’s arrangements are truly sophisticated.

PAN M 360: In what ways is preparing for a concert like this demanding?

Joâo Lenhari: Our young musicians work very hard. In addition to the arrangements, there’s all the feeling and the unique character of Cuban jazz, which isn’t easy for people from the North to grasp. Personally, I want to prepare my students not only for jazz, but to open their minds and ears to a wide range of music, so they can play wherever life takes them. 

PAN M 360: Hilario Durán, you have the opportunity to collaborate with many famous musicians, what does it mean to you to play with student musicians?

Hilario Durán: It’s always interesting to share my knowledge. It’s a real pleasure to collaborate with Brazilian musicians like João Lenhari. Brazilians and Cubans have such rich musical cultures. We’re going to have a fantastic evening.

PAN M 360: And what will we hear this Thursday evening at the Salle Claude Champagne?

Hilario Durán: There will be a lot of material from my recent album, Cry Me A River. You’ll hear three compositions by my fellow countryman Chucho Valdés, arranged for big band by myself. We’ll also play Angelica, a piece by the late Emiliano Salvador and José Miguel Ceruto.

Joâo Lenhari:  I recommend everyone listen to Cry Me a River before coming to the concert. It will set the mood. But you’ll also hear a world-class improvisational pianist, Hilario Durán! Also note that there will be a free masterclass with him on Wednesday, March 25th at 5:00 PM in the Salle Serge-Garant. If you play the piano, you should definitely attend.

PAN M 360: Thank you both! See you at Salle Claude Champagne at 7:30 pm on March 26th for the Big Band concert with Hilario Durán.

The singer, balafonist, and guitarist from Guinea-Bissau, Kimi Djabaté, grew up in a musical village. Indeed, his hometown of Tabato is a small town where most of the inhabitants live off music and have been griots for generations. The artist, who is now based in Lisbon, released the album Dindin in 2023, an album I have praised highly right here on this site.

CRITIQUE OF DINDIN, KIMI DJABATÉ’S ALBUM

On April 2, 2026, Kimi Djabaté will give a concert at the Balattou club in Montreal, a first for the artist in our city, who was invited by the singer Maritza (who asked him to accompany her at her own event on April 1 at the Lion d’Or). For his evening at Balattou, we are even told that Daby Touré will be on stage with Kimi! An evening that I am personally very much looking forward to. I talked with Kimi about his youth completely dedicated to music, his coming in Montreal, his collaboration with Madonna, and many other things.

**Thanks to Jacob Edgar from Cumbancha/Putumayo who served as an interpreter, as the interview was conducted in Portuguese.

DETAILS AND TICKETS FOR KIMI DJABATÉ’S CONCERT AT BALATTOU ON APRIL 2, 2026

PanM360: Hello Kimi. It’s a first in Montreal. But have you ever been to Canada?

Kimi Djabaté: Once, in Edmonton, for a single concert.

PanM360: You grew up in a small village in Guinea-Bissau called Tabato, a village of musicians (griots). Everyone there plays music… You hardly had a choice…

Kimi Djabaté: It’s true that Tabato is a village of griots. It is somewhat the destiny, the social obligation, of its inhabitants to play music. I was surrounded by music throughout my youth. Griots are required to learn at least one instrument and to tell stories with their music. For me, it was the balafon (a type of traditional West African xylophone) that has been my passion from the very beginning.

When I was five to eight years old, my parents would take me to play at wedding ceremonies, for example. I became something of a local sensation, they found me very cute with my instrument that I handled quite well. And then, the orders multiplied. Sometimes, I found it difficult. I was woken up at night to travel and play. I brought in income for my family that way, you understand. Sometimes, I wanted to be a child like the others. I never learned to play football (soccer)…

PanM360: A story like Mozart’s… Have you ever felt like giving up?

Kimi Djabaté: No, never. Nevertheless, around my teenage years, I started listening to Africa 1, a radio station from Gabon. There, there was a program broadcast every week, from 2 AM to 4 AM, and I discovered all sorts of other music. I used my money to buy batteries for the radio so I could listen to my show! Then, my passion was somewhat rekindled. But no, I never really thought about not making music.

PanM360: You are a griot from Guinea-Bissau. Here in Montreal, we have several griots from Mali or Senegal. Are there significant differences between the traditions of these different countries?

Kimi Djabaté: Not really. All the culture of the griots comes from the ancient Mandingo Empire (or Mali Empire), which encompassed the entire region during the European Middle Ages. It was the colonial forces who subsequently divided this entire region into various countries and brought new languages. For the rest, the sources, the codes, remain the same. In fact, we still frequently speak the same native language, Manding. In fact, it is the language of Touré (Lamine), the director and owner/founder of Balattou!

PanM360: At this concert, will you mainly be playing Dindin?

Kimi Djabaté: Yes, especially, but also a few songs from previous albums. Daby Touré, who is based in Montreal, will also come on stage with me. It’s a great honour. We will also play a concert in Toronto. And then, we might also play a few new songs, which we might have had time to work on in Montreal, as I will be there for a few weeks.

PanM360: Tell me about your collaboration with Madonna…

Kimi Djabaté: It was through mutual friends that we met. Madonna spent some time in Lisbon. We met at a private concert for French friends. She is a big fan of African music. Subsequently, I was invited to her birthday parties, and then she asked me to play a piece on her album Madame X. It’s called Ciao Bella. I sing, and Madonna does the backing vocals behind me!

PanM360: That is nice! We can’t wait to see you in Montreal and Quebec for the first time. 

Kimi Djabaté: Me too, I can’t wait to be there. That reminds me that, many years ago, a Quebecer came to study the balafon in our village! His name was Sylvain Panneton. He even recorded a cassette. I don’t know what happened to him. If he can ever come, that would be really nice.

PanM360: The message is sent! Thank you.

SYLVAIN PANNETON CASSETTE ALBUM

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