2024 PROGRAM
Pre-festival Event
An Introduction to Early Music
Wednesday, July 24, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
Notre-Dame-des-Flots Church, Lamèque
This event is intended for amateur musicians who wish to learn more about early music.
Vincent Lauzer, the Festival’s artistic director, and Pierre Lavoie, director of the Mission Saint-Charles Choir will lead singers and instrumentalists through a series of musical
works from the Baroque era and Johann Sebastian Bach's chorales. Everyone is welcome, novices and experienced musicians alike.
The session will end with an “open mic” session for amateur musicians who wish to
perform a piece of music from the Baroque era...or any other time!
Vincent Lauzer, Pierre Lavoie, conductors
Four Seasons in the Eyes of Oswald
Thursday, July 25, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church, Miscou
Ensemble La Cigale will offer a concert showcasing charming sonatas from Airs for the Seasons by Scottish composer James Oswald, each named after a flower. The performers will present their favourite sonatas from Oswald’s collection, along with some dances and airs from the Celtic countries, music that warms you up in winter and calls for celebration!
Ensemble La Cigale
Vincent Lauzer, recorder
Sari Tsuji, violin
Rafael Sánchez Guevara, viola da gamba
Sara Lackie, triple harp
Madeleine Owen, lute and artistic director
Four Seasons, Yesterday and Tomorrow
Thursday, July 25, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l’Île
A concert presenting the four seasons in the time of climate change: Antonio Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons, performed by four young artists, along with The Four Seasons and a Melting Iceberg, a work for solo recorder by Canadian composer Matthias Maute, who offers a vision of the four seasons in the era of climate change. Vivaldi’s sonnets and a series of new texts written by Acadian authors give this concert an original
narrative thread.
Tanya LaPerrière, Jessy Dubé, Julie Rivest, violin
Vincent Lauzer recorder
Ensemble Pallade Musica
Pierre-André Doucet, Emma Haché, Dyane Léger, Jonathan Roy, authors
Choral seasons
Friday, July 26, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Saint-Raphaël Church, Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphaël
The Mission Saint-Charles Choir will present works from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods that pay homage to birds in spring, the fall harvest, the cold and winter storms. The program will include works by Clément Janequin, Orlando di Lasso, Claudio Monteverdi, Thomas Morley, Henry Purcell, and several others.
Mission Saint-Charles Choir
Pierre Lavoie, conductor
Vincent Lauzer, Sophie Larivière, recorder
Sara Lackie, triple harp
Madeleine Owen, lute
Four Seasons in the Eyes of Boismortier
Friday, July 26, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l’Île
Composed in 1724, Boismortier’s cantatas inspired by the seasons take on different themes for different parts of the year: love in spring, the warmth of the sun in summer, drinking in fall and the battle of the elements in winter. The composer’s writing was obviously inspired by the French style, but also incorporates a few elements of Italian style. For this concert, it will be performed by young singers at the peak of their art, accompanied by a small group of inspired instrumentalists.
Andréanne Brisson-Paquin, soprano
Kerry Bursey, tenor
William Kraushaar, bass
Sophie Larivière, traverso
Jacques-André Houle, violin
Rafael Sánchez Guevara, viola da gamba
Hank Knox, harpsichord
Four Seasons in the Eyes of Simpson
Saturday, July 27, 2024, 11:00 a.m.
Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Church, Miscou
Pallade Musica presents The Seasons, a collection by Christopher Simpson, an English composer from the 17th century. These works, written for one treble instrument, two bass viols and continuo, include pavanes, galliards and fantasies written in an almost-improvised style. There’s no better way to start your day!
Pallade Musica
Tanya LaPerrière, violin
Margaret Little, Rafael Sánchez Guevara, viola da gamba
Dorothéa Ventura, harpsichord
Pre-concert lecture and public dress rehearsal
Saturday, July 27, 2024, 2:00 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l’Île
An opportunity to learn more about the hurdy gurdy as well as the composers and works that will be featured during the Festival’s closing concert.
French Seasons
Saturday, July 27, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
Sainte-Cécile Church, Petite-Rivière-de-l’Île
Vivaldi’s four seasons were an incredible source of inspiration for composers all over Europe in the Baroque era. This concert will present works by French composers who parodied and sometimes even shamelessly copied the music of Vivaldi! The program includes a motet by Michel Corrette based on the themes from Spring as well as some of Nicolas Chédeville’s Saisons amusantes for hurdy gurdy.
Tobie Miller, hurdy gurdy
Andréanne Brisson-Paquin, soprano
Kerry Bursey, tenor
William Kraushaar, bass
Mission Saint-Charles Orchestra
Hank Knox, conductor and harpsichord
Mission Saint-Charles Choir
Pierre Lavoie, conductor
