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In 2017, the woodwind quintet Pentaèdre launched its Carte Blanche series, a project which saw individual members plan an annual concert, choosing repertoire and partners. This year, the member in question is bassoonist Mathieu Lussier, who will be joined on April 4 by fellow bassoonists Stéphane Lévesque, Alex Eastley, and Mary Chalk for a concert titled Carte Blanche: Bassoon as the Party Gets Going!
“The idea is to explore as much as possible: my own works, arrangements of pieces for other instruments and South American music,” said Lussier. Since a bassoon quartet is made up of instruments with an identical sound, it is important to create distinction and variance in the sound so that the audience may appreciate this unusual formation. Lussier accomplishes this by composing arrangements that have a playfulness and South American flavour to them.
“I wanted to avoid restricting the choice to a specific repertoire—to enhance the pleasure and fun of making music together. Hence the idea of the location, the Lion d’Or cabaret—not a concert hall—as well as the atmosphere of tango in many of the pieces we will share with the audience.”
Since it was founded in 1985, Pentaèdre has consistently presented a broad range of styles. For 2022-23, the ensemble explores music from Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn and French composers of the 20th century. Lussier and current Pentaèdre members—Ariane Brisson, flute; Élise Poulin, oboe; Louis-Philippe Marsolais, horn; Martin Carpentier, clarinet—approach music with a spirit free from constraints: despite knowing well the historically informed performance practice of early music, they seek, first and foremost, the taste of making music.
After the autumn tour based on its 2021 release Autour de Bach (ATMA Classique), Pentaèdre plans on going to Domaine Forget and recording a new CD for next season. Meanwhile, as a soloist, Lussier will record Étienne Ozi’s Six Sonatas and perform Weber’s Bassoon concerto in F major with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, as soloist and guest conductor (March 24 to 26).
Lussier is deeply involved in the music community across Canada, not only as a performer but also as a teacher. Fortunately, the last few years haven’t diminished his spirits. “During the pandemic, live music has suffered a lot,” he said. “I don’t have all the answers to the problem, but I’m willing to put all my energy to allow music to continue to be present in people’s lives.”
Pentaèdre will present a series of concerts named French Overture in Laval (Feb. 3) and in Montreal (Feb. 5). Mathieu Lussier’s Carte Blanche: Bassoon as the Party Gets Going! will take place in Montreal (April 4). www.pentaedre.com
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
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