Composition & Contemporary Music

The Composition and Contemporary Music Workshop fosters musical innovation and artistic collaboration. This unique program is designed for passionate performers and composers eager to explore new creative horizons. Participants will have the privilege of working with distinguished mentors, including Jeffrey Stonehouse, Pamela Reimer, Jimmie LeBlanc, Zosha Di Castri, and the acclaimed musicians of the Paramirabo Ensemble.

For Composers
This workshop immerses composers in a stimulating and collaborative creative process. From May to mid-July, they will devote themselves to composing an original work for a small chamber ensemble, with or without electronics. During the residency, composers will continue to develop their projects in close collaboration with performers, gaining invaluable hands-on experience. Together, composers and performers will explore technical possibilities and artistic intentions, working side by side to bring each new work to life.

In addition, composers will take part in group sessions that explore innovative artistic approaches and deepen their creative vision, encouraging dynamic exchange and continuous growth throughout the workshop.

For Performers
This workshop offers performers an exceptional opportunity to work closely with composers and take an active role in the creative process. Each performer will collaborate directly with a composer to bring a new piece to life, exploring the nuances of interpretation and contributing to the evolution of the composition itself.

Through individual lessons and collaborative sessions with members of the Paramirabo Ensemble, performers will deepen their understanding of the contemporary repertoire, both in solo and chamber contexts. This immersive experience in today’s musical landscape promises to be as enriching artistically as it is educationally.

Jeffrey Stonehouse (July 19 to August 1)
Graduate of the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and McGill University, flutist Jeffrey Stonehouse has performed across Canada and abroad in Europe, the United States and Mexico. Very active in the Montreal new music scene, he is co-founder and artistic director of Paramirabo and flutist of the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne. He also performs with ECM+, SMCQ and No Hay Banda. He is the artistic director of the specialized broadcaster Le Vivier.

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Pamela Reimer (July 19 to August 1)
Soloist, chamber musician, and creator, Montreal pianist Pamela Reimer is celebrated for her versatility and deep musical connection with others. She is a member of Ensemble Paramirabo, Orford Six Pianos, and the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec ensemble.

She has collaborated and recorded with Ensemble Blue Rider, Bradyworks, E27, Ensemble contemporain de Montréal, Sixtrum, Architek, the London Sinfonietta, flutist Marie-Hélène Breault, and percussionist Beverley Johnston.

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Jimmie LeBlanc (July 19 to August 1)
In his instrumental and mixed compositions, Jimmie LeBlanc (Québec, 1977) explores how music can be thought in terms of capture of forces and logic of sensation, particularly through such concepts as performative figure and texture. The interaction between sense and sensation, through the more explicit integration of extra-musical references to his music, characterizes his research. His music has carved out a place for itself on local and international scenes with, among others, Ensemble Contrechamps, Esprit Orchestra, Quatuor Bozzini, Nouvel ensemble moderne, Ensemble Paramirabo, Continuum Ensemble, Camerata Aberta, the Quasar saxophone quartet, and many soloists.

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Zosha Di Castri (July 26 to August 1)
Zosha Di Castri, a Canadian composer hailed as a “creator of riotously inventive works” (The New Yorker), currently lives in New York. Her music has been performed widely around the world and extends beyond the traditional concert format, encompassing projects with electronics, sound art, and collaborations involving video and dance. She is the Francis Goelet Associate Professor of Music at Columbia University.

Highlights of this season include the European premiere of Hunger for orchestra and improvised percussion at the Warsaw Autumn Festival — a work written to accompany Peter Foldes’s 1973 eponymous silent film.

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In addition to the what is mentioned above, the workshops also include:

• Chamber music coachings
• Opportunities to participate in one or more student concerts
• Networking activities with fellow musicians and faculty members
• Accommodation in double occupancy and three meals per day
• Practice studios equipped with pianos (available from 7AM to 12AM)
• Housekeeping, laundry (for a fee), parking, and free WiFi
• Free tickets for concerts at Salle Gilles-Lefebvre (subject to availability)
• Opportunity to discover the beautiful landscapes of Parc national du Mont-Orford, the majestic Lake Memphremagog, and the tourist activities of the city of Magog