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Montréal, Thursday, May 29, 2025 – The Orchestre classique de Montréal (OCM) is pleased to announce the program for its 86th season: Classical and Eclectic: from Mozart to Piazzolla. The OCM is also thrilled to introduce its new Music Director, the immensely talented conductor Andrei Feher. The season will feature an impressive lineup of renowned soloists, including Elisabeth St-Gelais, Tara-Louise Montour, Marie-Josée Lord, Jean‑Philippe Sylvestre, Adam Cicchillitti, Denis Plante, Karoline Podolak, Marc Djokic, and many more.
“It’s always exciting to unveil a brand-new season after a year of planning and preparation,” says Taras Kulish, the OCM’s Executive Director. “And we’re all the more delighted to introduce our new Music Director, Andrei Feher. This marks a bold new chapter for the orchestra, and all our musicians, staff and board of directors are thrilled to welcome Maestro Feher to the OCM family.”
“It’s both an enormous privilege and a great pleasure to embark on this new adventure with the incredible musicians of the Orchestre classique de Montréal,” says Andrei Feher, OCM’s incoming Music Director. “My recent turn at the podium with the OCM was a career highlight, and I can’t wait to share our mutual love of music with the Montréal community.”
Andrei Feher is a Romanian-Canadian conductor who began his musical journey as a violinist. He went on to study at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal with Johanne Arel and Raffi Armenian. At 22, he was named Assistant Conductor at the Orchestre de Paris, and in 2018, he was appointed Music Director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, becoming one of the youngest orchestra leaders in Canada. Feher regularly appears with top orchestras such as the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Violons du Roy and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.
The OCM’s 86th season will begin with another first—the debut edition of the Classical Day at the Oratory. This day-long festival will unfold on July 5, in collaboration with Saint Joseph’s Oratory, OCM’s long-standing partner. The goal is simple: to bring classical music to the community in a setting as majestic as it is inspiring. For more information, please visit: https://en.orchestre.ca/classical-day-at-the-oratory/
The OCM’s opening concert will celebrate Indigenous composers and performers, shining the spotlight on three internationally renowned women soloists. The first half of the season will also showcase the vibrant rhythms of Latin American music in a concert of works by Piazzolla and Ponce, performed by guitar virtuoso Adam Cicchillitti. In February, the magnificent Haitian-Canadian soprano Marie-Josée Lord will take the stage in a concert honouring Black History Month. A musical journey through the repertoire of Polish composers is also on the bill next spring.
The season will feature several can’t-miss concerts, including a performance of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony, an evening of Strauss operettas, and Händel’s Messiah—a beloved OCM annual tradition. Vivaldi’s captivating rhythms will close the season in style in a concert marking the 70th anniversary of Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal’s founding.
THE 2025-2026 SEASON
INDIGENOUS MOSAIC – October 5, 2025 (3:00 p.m.) – Maison symphonique
The OCM’s 86th season’s opening concert will highlight three exceptional soloists: Innu soprano Élisabeth St-Gelais, Mohawk violinist Tara-Louise Montour, and Cree cellist Cris Derksen. Presented in honour of Truth and Reconciliation Week, the evening will include works by Indigenous and non-Indigenous composers alike. On the program: W. A. Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony with visual projections by Oneida artist Alanah Morningstar Jewell, the Québec premiere of Cris Derksen’s Spiderbeing, songs by Tomson Highway, and a violin concerto by Malcolm Forsyth commissioned by and composed especially for Tara-Louise Montour. Led by conductor Adam Johnson at the majestic Maison symphonique, the concert will be a stirring tribute to Indigenous excellence.
AN EVENING OF VIENNESE OPERETTA – October 24, 2025 (7:30 p.m.) – Pierre-Mercure Hall
Audiences will be transported to the charm and splendour of Imperial Vienna as the OCM raises a toast to the “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss II, on the 200th anniversary of his birth. Presented in collaboration with the Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier lyrique and the Austrian Society of Montréal, the program will offer a tantalizing assortment of excerpts from Viennese operettas. A quartet of talented young singers will bring this sprightly and elegant repertoire to life under the baton of Simon Rivard, as the OCM celebrates the golden age of Viennese operetta and waltz music.
SABOR LATINO – November 20, 2025 (7:30 p.m.) – Pierre-Mercure Hall
Immerse yourself in dynamic rhythms with this concert of musical gems from Latin America. With conductor Jean‑Marie Zeitouni at the podium, the evening will feature guitarist Adam Cicchillitti and bandoneonist Denis Plante in a program of stirring Hispanic music. Passion and virtuosity combine in performances of Astor Piazzolla’s seductive tangos and Manuel Ponce’s Concierto del Sur, along with a world premiere by composer Luis Ramirez. A fiery tribute to the musical soul of Latin America.
HÄNDEL’S MESSIAH – December 11, 2025 (7:30 p.m.) – Crypt of St. Joseph’s Oratory
Join us for a cherished holiday tradition, as the OCM brings the comfort and joy of Händel’s most famous oratorio to the stunning acoustics of the Crypt at St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. The glorious voices of soloists Jacqueline Woodley (soprano), Camila Fontefusco (mezzo-soprano), Adam Luther (tenor) and Jama Al Titi (baritone) will be backed by the choral splendour of Les Filles de l’île and Les Chantres Musiciens, uniting with the OCM and Music Director Andrei Feher for an evening that will light up your holiday season!
MARIE-JOSÉE LORD AT THE OCM – February 5, 2026 (7:30 p.m.) – Pierre-Mercure Hall
In honour of Black History Month, the OCM will bring together Haitian-born Canadian soprano Marie‑Josée Lord and African American and Hispanic conductor Kalena Bovell. The moving program will present major works by Afro-descendant composers, including William Grant Still and Florence Price. The second half of the concert will feature Marie-Josée Lord’s performance of Honey and Rue, a poignant song cycle by André Previn with lyrics by Toni Morrison, for an exploration of the bitter and the sweet that comes with the African American experience in life and love.
OPERA CANDY: The Gourmet Adventure of Hansel and Gretel (school concerts) –
February 17 (9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.) and February 18 (9:00 a.m.) – Pierre‑Mercure Hall
This charming introduction to opera and classical singing will serve up an irresistible treat for the whole family! Once upon a time there were two lively singers who wanted to tell the story of Hansel and Gretel through music. Their mischievous friend tried to lend them a helping hand, but he was so greedy and absent-minded, he constantly put his foot in his mouth—or was that chocolate? This co-production with the Opéra de Montréal and the Jeunesses musicales will be conducted by Andrei Feher in this engaging 50-minute concert offering a new spin on a timeless tale beloved by candy and opera connoisseurs everywhere.
FROM CHOPIN TO WEINBERG: A Polish Classical Evening – March 12, 2026 (7:30 p.m.) – Pierre‑Mercure Hall
Embark on a journey through Poland’s rich and varied musical landscape. Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Polish-influenced Chamber Symphony will open the evening, followed by Québec composer Maxime Goulet’s Histoire de pêche with its beautiful juxtaposition of strings and solo clarinet, featuring Polish-Canadian clarinetist Kornel Wolak. The agile voice and sensitive artistry of Polish-Canadian soprano Karoline Podolak will be on full display in the moving aria “Dumka Zuzi” from Stanislaw Moniuszko’s opera Verbum Nobile and in “Sempre Libera” from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. The concert will also include Frédéric Chopin’s Mazurka in B‑Flat Major, Nocturne in C Minor, and his famous Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring pianist Jean Philippe Sylvestre. Led by conductor Andrei Feher, it’s an evening OCM audiences won’t want to miss.
VIVA VIVALDI: The Four Seasons and Gloria – May 30, 2026 (7:30) – Maison symphonique
To mark the 70th anniversary of Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal’s founding, the OCM will present an enchanting evening centred around two of Antonio Vivaldi’s most famous compositions. The concert will open with the luminous and vibrant masterpiece The Four Seasons, Op. 8, conducted by Andrei Feher and featuring solo violinist Marc Djokic. This popular work consists of four violin concertos—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—exploring the changing seasons with an intensity that perfectly captures nature’s ever-shifting moods. After the intermission, the OCM will present Vivaldi’s majestic Gloria, the composer’s celebrated sacred choral work, performed by Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal under the direction of Andrew Gray.
To learn more about the season and to purchase subscriptions or single tickets, please visit: ORCHESTRE.CA
About the OCM
Winner of a 2024 Juno Award, the Orchestre Classique de Montréal (formerly McGill Chamber Orchestra) was founded in 1939 by violinist, conductor, and composer Alexander Brott and his wife and cellist, Lotte Brott. OCM quickly became one of Canada’s most renowned chamber orchestras, performing on five continents, recording numerous works, and making frequent appearances on radio and television. Boris Brott, O.C., O.Q., one of Canada’s most celebrated conductors, led OCM from 2000 until his passing in April 2022. OCM remains a vibrant, innovative, and flexible ensemble, composed of top professional musicians in the city. It performs year-round and is now in residence at Salle Pierre-Mercure. Staying true to its mission of celebrating diversity and inclusivity, OCM continues its Music for All program, collaborating with newcomer communities and Montréal organizations to make performances accessible to everyone. The OCM is thrilled to welcome Andrei Feher as its new music director starting in the fall of 2025. OCM extends its gratitude to BMO Bank of Montreal, the official presenter of the 2024-2025 season.
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