Early Music & Baroque Guide

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MONTRÉAL

ENSEMBLE ARION
www.arionbaroque.com

At the heart of Montreal’s musical life for over forty years, Arion Orchestre Baroque is a pioneer in Quebec and Canada in the world of early music on period instruments. Since 2019, under the artistic direction of conductor and bassoonist Mathieu Lussier, Arion presents a series of concerts featuring guest conductors and soloists of international renown. Founded in Montreal in 1981 by Claire Guimond, Chantal Rémillard, Betsy MacMillan and Hank Knox, Arion has performed nationally and internationally, and boasts a discography of over thirty recordings.

Committed to the creation and dissemination of youth and educational projects, and a partner of renowned institutions such as University of Montréal, McGill University, the Arte Musica Foundation, the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles and SAMS, Arion is a key player on the Canadian musical scene.

ENSEMBLE SCHOLASTICA
www.ensemblescholastica.ca

Directed by Rebecca Bain, Ensemble Scholastica is Canada’s only female vocal ensemble that specializes in the performance of medieval music. While our work begins with the study of medieval manuscripts, historical authenticity is not our only objective. Our goal is to share with listeners the beauty and intricacy of medieval music, particularly the liturgical traditions that are at the root of Western “classical” music.

In recent seasons Ensemble Scholastica has explored the liturgical music of New France. Two collaborations with Les Idées heureuses on this repertoire were nominated for the Prix Opus. We have also been programming non-Western historical music and featuring guest artists of diverse origins, with the goal of presenting European early music in its proper global context.

LES BORÉADES
www.boreades.com

Specializing in the Baroque repertoire, Les Boréades was founded in 1991 by Francis Colpron. Les Boréades’ approach is one of faithful interpretation, respecting both the rules of early practice and the use of period instruments. Critics and audiences in Canada and abroad have been unanimous in their praise for the ensemble’s verve, spontaneity and theatrical, expressive and elegant playing, qualities that testify to an intimate understanding of the music and its history.

He has also collaborated with musicians of international renown, including Hervé Niquet, director of Le Concert Spirituel, tenor Charles Daniels and Canadian singers Matthew White and Karina Gauvin. They have a solid discography of twenty-five recordings on the Atma Classique label.

LES IDÉES HEUREUSES
www.ideesheureuses.ca

Les Idées heureuses, which performs Baroque music, takes its name from a harpsichord piece by François Couperin, a great musician of the century of Louis XIV. With 38 seasons under the direction of renowned harpsichordist Geneviève Soly, Les Idées heureuses have carved out a special place for themselves in Canada’s early music scene. They surround themselves with musicians playing on period instruments.

Over the years, the ensemble has presented original seasons, offering a skilful blend of repertoires known to the general public, “rediscoveries” supported by musicological research, and new works.
Since 2023, the ensemble has been under the artistic direction of Dorothéa Ventura, a well-known figure on the Quebec arts scene.

STUDIO DE MUSIQUE ANCIENNE DE MONTRÉAL
www.smamontreal.ca

The Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (SMAM) is a renowned Canadian vocal ensemble dedicated to the rediscovery of Renaissance and Baroque music. Founded in 1974, it performs sacred and secular vocal works, highlighting their vitality and emotional depth. Composed of 12 to 18 professional singers selected for the clarity of their voices, the SMAM recreates the original colors and styles of the works through rigorous musicological research. Under the direction of Andrew McAnerney since 2015, the ensemble has produced an impressive discography, including the album L’Homme armé, a finalist for the 2022 Juno Awards.

TORONTO

TAFELMUSIK
www.tafelmusik.org

For over 40 years, Tafelmusik has transformed how we experience music. Specializing in 17th- to 19th-century music played on period instruments, they blend traditional works with multimedia programs, bold commissions, and cross-cultural collaborations. Based in Toronto, Tafelmusik captivates audiences through its vibrant home season, international tours, award-winning recordings, and innovative education initiatives. Renowned for dynamic and soulful performances rooted in scholarship and artistic excellence, Tafelmusik is a musical powerhouse that continues to thrill and inspire.

VANCOUVER

EARLY MUSIC VANCOUVER
www.earlymusic.bc.ca

Early Music Vancouver’s Festive Cantatas returns for the holiday season with Bach’s ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’ cantata paired with the Czech composer Jan Dismas Zelenka. The Pacific Baroque Orchestra and Vancouver Chamber Choir reunite alongside soloists Hélène Brunet, Suzie LeBlanc, Cecilia Duarte, James Reese, and William Kraushaar.The only Bach church cantata set to a Latin text, BWV 191’s opening lines are based entirely on the “Gloria” from the B minor Mass (BWV 232), with an unusual premiere in Leipzig on Christmas Day to celebrate the Peace of Dresden (1745).
J.D. Zelenka (1679-1745), whose output consisted mainly of sacred music for the Catholic court at Dresden, was the most important Bohemian composer before Gluck.