Schulich | Horatio Quartet wins the Chamber Music Competition 2024-2025

by Judith Hamel

After four vibrant performances by the finalist ensembles, the Horatio Quartet has won the grand prize in the Schulich School of Music’s annual chamber music competition. The musicians win a residency at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and a performance at the Canadian Centre for Architecture as part of Schulich@Bon-Pasteur series.

The finals took place at Tanna Schulich Hall and were broadcast live. The jury for this stage was made up of Catherine Cosbey, Sara Laimon, Jacqueline Leclair and David Stewart.

The Trio At Work ensemble, comprising violinist Abigail Sunde, cellist Conrad Sobieraj and pianist Jisu Yeum, opened the evening with the Allegro from Mozart’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano No. 3. Their light-hearted interpretation transported us into Mozart’s elegance and clarity. In Mendelssohn’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano No. 1, which followed, a certain rigidity was felt at times, occasionally depriving the interpretation of vulnerability, but the climaxes were musically well controlled. Clean articulations and just nuances demonstrated their great technical mastery.

The second ensemble to perform, the Lyra Quartet, featured Lucy Nemeth and Jessica Tovey on violins, Hudson Maness on viola, and Ellamay Mantie on cello. From the very first bars of the Allegro from Haydn’s String Quartet No. 2 in F major, Op. 77, their cohesion was evident. The semi-circular placement typical of string quartets certainly favors fluid visual and gestural communication. Still, despite this advantage, each movement seemed naturally amplified by the other, giving us the impression that they were both breathing from the same breath. Their performance culminated in Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 3 in F major, Op. 73. By turns carrying innocence and gravity, they exploited the full dynamic potential of this work. Their impeccable phrasing and accuracy of both intonation and emotion offered a moment of rare intensity, both rigorous and profoundly human.

After the intermission, the Horatio Quartet, comprising violinists Justin Saulnier and Joey Machin, violist Alex Beggs and cellist Gabriel Vincent, performed Haydn’s String Quartet in D major No. 4, Op. 20. Their exemplary precision and solidity were evident from the very first lines. The first violin, carried by Justin Saulnier, brilliantly sustained its predominant role throughout the work, infusing the ensemble with constant vitality. Their performance continued with the first movement of Debussy’s String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10, where they demonstrated sensitivity and expressive contrasts.

The evening concluded with the Alexa Trio, made up of violinist Joseph Tsao, cellist Alexander Lewis and pianist Chris Peng. Their performance began with the first movement of Beethoven’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano No. 1 in D major, Op. 70, where the piano evoked a softness in the ensemble. They then performed Smetana’s Trio for violin, cello and piano in G minor, Op.15, which opens with a poignant violin solo, followed by the piano’s entrance, bringing depth and nuance. The work is remarkably well-balanced, giving each player an individual voice to let his or her instrument and musicality shine. Their interpretation was breathtaking, exalting the work’s intense, vibrant emotions.

classique / Jazz / Vocal Jazz

Schulich | Christmas classics with the McGill Jazz Orchestra

by Vitta Morales

It was a pleasant coincidence that the McGill Jazz Orchestra’s performance of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite coincided with the first veritable snowy evening of the year.

This fact did not go unnoticed by conductor Marianne Trudel who was quick to point it out jokingly before the band began their festive selections. “Cozy” wouldn’t be the first superlative I’d use for Tanna Hall but under the circumstances, it did feel as though we in the audience had assembled in the aim of getting toasty and losing ourselves in some classic 60s big band fare. Truly, we were only missing mugs of hot chocolate.

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is, of course, a darling of the public domain and has been (re)interpreted countless ways by countless musicians. Ellington and Strayhorn, however, managed to capture something truly special back in 1960 with their arrangement of this prolific Russian ballet; and The McGill Jazz Orchestra’s execution of it was more than solid. It was impressive, as it always is, to see such young musicians achieve such high levels of playing. Some of them, I would say, already have the chops to drop out of their studies and play professionally (I won’t say who in order to avoid potentially angry parents). Having said that, student concerts almost always have a few elements that are rough around the edges. We might call them small reminders that these young cats are, in fact, still learning.

It wasn’t until the third movement, for example, that the bass and drums finally imposed a more confident time feel and stopped acquiescing to those around them. Playing tentatively does nothing to serve the groove so it was a relief when they finally started to trust themselves. Additionally, some solos among the horns seemed to meander at times. Worth mentioning are the soloists who were, by contrast, quite intentional in their playing including Rafael Salazar, Shai Geballe, Maude Fortier, and Jeremy Sandfelder (Although Sandelfer is a more established jazz man in Montreal who found himself subbing on the night so this is perhaps a bit unfair to the students).

The second half of the concert featured Élizabeth Cormier singing a selection of Irving Berlin songs as they were arranged for Ella Fitzgerald. Having recently attended a Caity Gyorgy concert of identical repertoire, it was hard not to get a bit of déjà vu. I should say that Cormier, for her part, is a lovely singer with a nice tone and good stage presence; the one element that I would say needs improvement is her English diction. A troublesome word here and there betrayed her Quebecois accent which is perhaps not ideal when performing Ella’s repertoire but otherwise a harmless enough feature of her singing.

Overall I think the orchestra’s members can, and should, take pride in a job well done as their semester winds down. I have no doubt that, as long as the desire is there, these young players will continue to make strides in their musicality. For now they should probably catch up on some sleep before their winter session. And maybe reach for some hot chocolate.

photo: Tam Lan Truong

Classical / Contemporary

Schulich | Playing in the snow with the Contemporary Music Ensemble

by Judith Hamel

Today is December 4, and the first snow of the year is falling on the city. Tonight, we find ourselves Downtown, in the Music Multimedia Room (MMR) of the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building. While the McGill Jazz Orchestra loosens its fingers in Tanna Schulich Hall, the McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble, under the baton of Mélanie Léonard, offered us a snow-themed concert.

The concert began with the premiere of Distant Paths by composer Kalen Smith. Composed as part of his thesis, this fifteen-minute piece mobilizes some fifteen musicians, including woodwinds, brass, strings, harp, piano, drums and percussion. The work explores different contrasts: linearity and non-linearity, tonality and atonality, movement and stoicism, cross-fades and abrupt breaks. The strings, often the ones carrying the shifting lines, were complemented by resolutely straight drums, instilling stable motion or… shifting stability.

Throughout the piece, the opposition between tonality and atonality takes center stage. Atonal lines multiply and culminate in tonal climaxes, driven in particular by brass instruments with fanfare-like colors. When the drums mingle with saxophone keys and bow strokes, the composer’s rich textural work is revealed. The work ends with a long blast of tam-tam and cymbal, which is left to resonate until the very last fragment of sound.

The second work of the evening transports us into the icy, poetic world of Schnee (Snow), by Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen. This hour-long work plunges the audience into a meditative state, depicting snow in its many facets: from icy air to chilling frost, from the delicacy of snowflakes to the mysterious enchantment of a winter landscape.

Two sources of inspiration guided Abrahamsen in the creation of this work: snow, of course, but also Bach’s canons, which he had orchestrated several years earlier. While the Bachian influence dissipates in Schnee’s contemporary sonorities, the work remains marked by the rigor of its structures and the hypnotic power reminiscent of Bach’s genius.

The composer takes us on a journey that transcends our perception of time. The first canons, each about ten minutes long, seem to stretch time, while the unfolding of the canons gradually accelerates, culminating in a tenth that lasts barely a minute. This temporal progression reflects the changing nature of snow: sometimes soothing, sometimes swirling and unpredictable. As the work progresses, we feel, through the music, the biting cold, the suffocating sound of snowy landscapes and the dance of the flakes, from the most delicate to the most unleashed.

The musicians brilliantly brought this concert to life. Their technical playing was more than up to scratch, and their interpretation did justice to the complexity of the score. The positioning of the musicians in Schnee was also very interesting. Indeed, the pianos placed face to face, on either side of the stage, created a stereophonic dialogue, offering the audience a remarkable breadth of sound.

Jazz lovers and fans of contemporary music finally found themselves outside in a light snowstorm. Perhaps the one indoors was more pleasant after all…

photo : Tam Lan Truong

Brazilian / Brazilian jazz / Soul/R&B

Festival de Jazz – Brazil’s Luedji Luna Brings The Snow to Montreal

by Sandra Gasana

Despite the first snowfall of the season, this didn’t stop music lovers from coming to Studio TD to see Bahian singer Luedji Luna. Not her first time in the metropolis, but a first in this venue. “I remember when I first came to Montreal, it was for the Festival de Jazz, outdoors,” she recalls. Most of the songs were taken from her third album Bom Mesmo é Estar Debaixo d’Àgua Deluxe, with a track of the same name. Accompanied by her musicians – drums, bass, keyboards and percussion – she took to the stage wearing an electric grey dress. With her unique blend of jazz, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, soul and RnB, she offers us a Brazilian version of some of the classics that rocked our youth. She opens with Metàfora, which sounds like something straight out of the 90s, and Pele, on which she collaborated with Ethiopian artist Mereba, who wasn’t there but whose voice we heard.

She covers two classics during her show, Sade’s No Ordinary Love and a track by Brazilian artist Djavan, but adds her own touch to it. In fact, she launched the “Luedji Sings Sade” concept in Brazil. Of course, she couldn’t leave without performing the song that marked a turning point in her career, Banho de Folhas, to which she invites the crowd to dance, much to their delight.

The opening act was Glowzi, a DJ/singer accompanied by a trumpet player, and together they set the perfect mood to welcome Luedji, mixing soul, electro, RnB and jazz. They also took the opportunity to send a message of solidarity to Palestine, Darfur and the Tigray region.

chanson keb franco / classique

OSM : Charlebois symphonique, une célébration grandiose avec l’OSM – Supplémentaires

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Après l’immense succès rencontré par le concert Charlebois symphonique au mois d’août dernier, l’OSM vous propose de retrouver Robert Charlebois et ses invités pour des supplémentaires de ce concert mémorable. Charlebois, ce géant de la musique, revisitera ses plus grandes chansons en version symphonique, dont Ordinaire, Je reviendrai à Montréal et quelques trésors cachés.

After the immense success of the Charlebois symphonique concert last August, the OSM invites you to join Robert Charlebois and his guests for additional performances of this memorable concert. Charlebois, a giant in music, will revisit his greatest songs in a symphonic version, including Ordinaire, Je reviendrai à Montréal, and a few hidden gems.

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360

classique

OSM : Ravel et Prokofiev par Weilerstein et Payare

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Le ballet Daphnis et Chloé est l’évocation poétique d’une nature idyllique et d’une Grèce rêvée par Ravel. Les couleurs chatoyantes de l’orchestre et la finesse de l’écriture confèrent à cette partition une délicate sensualité. Autre joyau au programme : la Sinfonia concertante de Prokofiev. Cette œuvre de caractère, teintée d’un humour sarcastique, sera servie par l’immense talent de la violoncelliste Alisa Weilerstein.

The ballet Daphnis et Chloé poetically conjures an idyllic natural setting combined with elements of Greek Antiquity as imagined by Maurice Ravel, to the orchestra’s glistening hues and subtle inflections, that endow this work with graceful sensuality. The program’s other precious gem is Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante, a colourful piece tinged with sarcasm and humour, brought to life through Alisa Weilerstein’s powerful artistry.

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classique / jeunesse

OSM : Mon beau concerto!

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Plongez dans l’univers du concerto, une forme musicale intemporelle qui continue d’enchanter les mélomanes de tous âges. Qu’il soit interprété au piano, au violoncelle ou au trombone, découvrons ensemble les secrets de cette forme musicale captivante en compagnie de trois solistes exceptionnels, lauréat.es du prestigieux Concours OSM. Un concert riche en découvertes, idéale pour éveiller la curiosité et la passion des jeunes mélomanes!

Dive into the world of the concerto, a timeless musical form that continues to captivate music lovers of all ages. Whether brought to life on the piano, cello, or trombone, let’s uncover the secrets of this fascinating genre together with three exceptional soloists, prize winners of the prestigious OSM Competition. A concert rich in discoveries, perfect for sparking curiosity and passion in young music enthusiasts!

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360

Indie Pop / Indie Rock

Saint Motel au Théâtre Beanfield

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Saint Motel est un groupe indie basé en Californie, dont le pop-art vivant et accrocheur est souvent accompagné d’éléments visuels innovants, tant sur scène que sous la forme de vidéos uniques créées par le groupe pour accompagner la plupart de leurs chansons. Après avoir signé avec le label major Parlophone, ils ont connu un hit dans les classements avec leur single de 2014, My Type, qui a trouvé un public au Royaume-Uni et dans certaines parties de l’Europe. Leur album de 2016, Saintmotelevision, comportait des vidéos en réalité virtuelle pour chaque morceau, faisant de lui le premier album VR jamais réalisé. Ils ont ensuite sorti les EPs Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Pt. 1 et Pt. 2, qu’ils ont combinés pour créer leur troisième album, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack en 2021. À partir de Everyone’s a Guru Now en 2023, Saint Motel a entamé une nouvelle phase, avec des singles tels que Fine Wine et Stay Golden en 2024.

Saint Motel are a California-based indie band whose vivid and catchy art-pop is often paired with innovative visual elements both on-stage and in the form of unique self-made videos that accompany most of their songs. After signing with major-label Parlophone, they landed a charting hit with their 2014 single “My Type,” which found an audience in the U.K. and parts of Europe. Their 2016 album, Saintmotelevision, featured virtual reality videos for every track, making it the first VR album ever made. They later released the EPs Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, which they then combined to make their third album, 2021’s Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Starting with 2023’s “Everyone’s a Guru Now,” Saint Motel kicked off a new phase that has yielded singles like “Fine Wine” and 2024’s “Stay Golden.”

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Ce contenu provient d’AllMusic et est adapté par PAN M 360

Art Punk / DJ set / Garage Rock

Taverne Tour : Pizza Party – The Drin et DJ Punk Police

by Rédaction PAN M 360

The Drin

Le rock garage souterrain, le punk art eccentric, le dub menaçant et les ballades sombres et tendres prennent chacun leur tour sous les projecteurs. Les albums de The Drin sont des incursions vastes, débordant d’hymnes industriels-folk-dub écrits à l’ombre de vieilles usines datant de plusieurs décennies qui résonnent parfois encore de vie.

Subterranean garage rock, eccentric art punk, menacing dub, and bleak, tender ballads all take turns in the spotlight. The Drin albums are sprawling forays, teeming with industrial-folk-dub anthems written in the shadow of decades-old factories that still occasionally thrum with life.

DJ Punk Police

Des soirées rock & roll 100 % vinyle avec les célèbres DJs montréalais Hot Carl et Atom Quilty !!

100% vinyl rock & roll parties featuring none other than world famous Montreal DJ’s Hot Carl & Atom Quilty!!

LE SPECTACLE EST GRATUIT!

Ce contenu provient du Taverne Tour et est adapté par PAN M 360

Experimental / Contemporary / mantra-rock

Taverne Tour : Angine de Poitrine et Musique Sensible

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Angine de Poitrine

Ésotérique substance culturelle prétendument introduite par l’imprésario Fabien Peterson au terme d’un voyage spatio-temporel, Angine de Poitrine dessine des mantras rock improbables et obsédants, avec pour arsenal une batterie au timbre mat, un looper et une exubérante guitare microtonale à deux manches.
En réveillant les notes qui dorment au fond des craques entre les touches du piano, ces deux êtres incongrus aux grandes tronches de papier mâché feront ressentir à toute la famille un stimulus auditif comparable au serrement délicieux et lancinant qui précède la crise cardiaque.

Esoteric cultural substance allegedly introduced by impresario Fabien Peterson after a space-time journey, Angine de Poitrine creates improbable and haunting rock mantras, using a dull-sounding drum, a looper, and an exuberant two-neck microtonal guitar.
By awakening the notes hidden in the cracks between the piano keys, these two incongruous beings with oversized papier-mâché heads will evoke an auditory stimulus for the whole family comparable to the delicious, throbbing tightening that precedes a heart attack.

Musique Sensible

Musique sensible est le vaisseau de fond de Mertin Poulin-Légaré (CBRAE, Télégraphe Jungle) qui le soutient au travers les aléas de la vie en haut en bas que notre monde malade tend à nous offrir de façon journalière. Un pansement-musique avec des accents électroniques, absurdistes, sans foi ni loi mené par l’intention exploratoire de faire quelque chose qui lui ressemble tout simplement, de faire le don de soi tant qu’à faire de la musique, tant qu’à exister.

Musique sensible is the depth-vessel of Mertin Poulin-Légaré (CRABE, Télégraphe Jungle) who supports him through the highs and lows of life that our sick world gives us in a daily way. A bandage-music with hints of electronix, absurdism, lawlessness with the intent of creating something special, a self-giving music from me to you.

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Ce contenu provient du Taverne Tour et est adapté par PAN M 360

Hip Hop / R&B / rap

Taverne Tour : Billy Woods, Fraud Perry et Quinton Barnes

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Billy Woods

Billy Woods est un rappeur qui échappe à toute catégorisation facile ; il revendique Washington D.C. comme ville d’origine, mais a passé une grande partie de sa vie à New York. Né aux États-Unis, il a passé une grande partie de son enfance en Afrique et dans les Caraïbes, étant le deuxième enfant d’un intellectuel jamaïcain et d’un futur révolutionnaire marxiste. Sur le mic, Woods est tout aussi énigmatique, doté de flows polyvalents et d’une capacité non seulement à aborder des sujets que d’autres artistes n’oseraient même pas effleurer, mais aussi à apporter des perspectives uniques sur des thèmes familiers.

Billy Woods is a rapper who defies easy categorization; he claims Washington D.C. as his hometown but has spent much of his life in New York City. He was born in the U.S. but spent much of his childhood in Africa and the West Indies, the second child of a Jamaican intellectual and a would-be Marxist revolutionary. On the mic, woods is no less of a conundrum, possessed of versatile flows and an ability to not only tackle topics other artists wouldn’t dream of, but also to bring unique perspectives to the familiar ones.

Fraud Perry

Décrite comme le fruit d’un ménage à trois entre Doja Cat, Rico Nasty et Azealia Banks, Fraud Perry fusionne la pop, la dance, le hip-hop et le punk de manière unique. La musique de Perry et ses performances live ont suscité un grand enthousiasme, lui offrant des opportunités de se produire lors de festivals majeurs tels que CMW, SXSW, Sled Island et POP Montréal. Avec une mixtape très attendue prévue pour novembre, Fraud Perry ne semble pas vouloir ralentir de sitôt.

Described as the lovechild of a Doja Cat, Rico Nasty, and Azealia Banks threesome, Fraud Perry fuses Pop, Dance, Hip-hop, and Punk in her own unique way. Perry’s music and live shows have created some major buzz and landed her coveted showcase opportunities at major festivals including CMW, SXSW, Sled Island, and POP Montreal. With a highly anticipated mixtape set to be released in November, Fraud Perry doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

Quinton Barnes

Quinton Barnes est un rappeur, chanteur et producteur aux multiples facettes et éclectique dont la musique mélange hip-hop, R&B et musique électronique en un tout unique. Son album CODE NOIR devrait sortir le 10 janvier 2025.

Quinton Barnes is a multifaceted and eclectic rapper, singer and producer whose music blends hip-hop, R&B and electronic music into a unique whole. His album CODE NOIR is set to be released January 10th, 2025.

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Ce contenu provient du Taverne Tour et est adapté par PAN M 360

pop urbaine / R&B

Francos de Montréal : Ronisia au MTelus

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Ronisia est une nouvelle artiste qui propose de la pop urbaine et du R&B. C’est une des artistes révélation de l’année dans la catégorie ” musique urbaine “.

Ronisia is a new artist offering urban pop and R&B music. She is one of the breakthrough artists of the year in the “Urban Music” category.

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Ce contenu provient de Facebook et est adapté par PAN M 360