Newswire | Maison musicale de Warwick: Featured, Casavant organ, opus 3715!

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Warwick, March 28, 2024 – This exceptional jewel, which is neither more nor less the soul of the Maison Musicale, will be in the spotlight. Quebec organist Philippe Bélanger will introduce the public to the organ by revealing all the possible sounds of this remarkable instrument. This “stunt musician” (Le Devoir) recognized for his masterful interpretations of the great organ repertoire is also distinguished by his talents as an improviser and his inexhaustible imagination. He stands out for the originality and quality of his interpretations and also his improvisations. The organ in the spotlight with Philippe Bélanger, an event not to be missed!

Philippe Bélanger

Born in Aylmer, Quebec, Philippe Bélanger began his career as an organist at the age of nine. He studied organ at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Gatineau, at McGill University in Montreal and at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio while perfecting his skills with great Canadian, American and European teachers.

Recipient of numerous awards, he won, among others, first prize at the John Robb Competition of the Royal Canadian College of Organists in 2001, first prize in the Organ Improvisation League (LIO) in 2002 and the 2006 Félix trophy in the “Classical Album of the Year” category at the ADISQ gala. It was also nominated for a Juno Award in the “Classical Album of the Year” category in 2006.

In November 2002, when he was only 27 years old, Philippe Bélanger was appointed, following a competition, titular organist at the Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal in Montreal, a position he held until ‘in January 2013.

Mr. Bélanger performs regularly in Canada, the United States and Europe where his appearances are reported as follows: “a brilliant organist, Philippe Bélanger, from Montreal. Triumph and multiple reminders from an audience who had (like me!) never heard the instrument sound like this. » (Jean-Pierre Rousseau, general director Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège, director France-Musique). Recognized for his masterful interpretations of the great organ repertoire, he is also distinguished by his talents as an improviser and his “[…] clearly inexhaustible imagination. » (Claude Gingras, La Presse). During the OSM’s Great Classical Spree which attracted more than 25,000 people to Place des Arts in August 2015, people exclaimed that “the prize goes to Philippe Bélanger for his stunning improvisation on the organ under the projection of the film Sherlock Jr. By Buster Keaton” (Christophe Huss, Le Devoir). Re-invited by the OSM to improvise the soundtrack of another film last August, Le Devoir announced the event of “Philippe Bélanger, stunt musician” whose review which followed the concert was titled “The tour de force of Philippe Bélanger » !