What a Day
For String Orchestra (2011)
Commissioned by the McGill Chamber Orchestra,
Dedicated to The Beatles."What a Day has that element of genius - simplicity, modernity a sense of humour AND immediate connection with an audience! It was a joy to be part of its creation process."
- Boris Brott
What a day, a four-movement work for string orchestra, outlines the parallels between a day and a life, as if one were the microcosm of the other. The first movement "Joyful Morning", embodies a busy morning and a child coming to life. The second movement, "Long Day at Work" is characterized by the accumulation of many repeated motifs representing the daily hours spent at work or in school. "Tête-à-tête Evening" is a duet between the solo violin and solo cello accompanied by the orchestra. The melodic dialogue symbolizes a romantic evening or the life shared by a couple. The last movement, "Serene Night", uses all the melodies from the previous movements. Like a dream at the end of the day or at the end of a life, it offers a retrospective. To better stimulate the auditor's imagination, lighting effects and small objects are incorporated to the piece, such as an alarm clock and the beginning of the day, a punch clock at work, a pendulum clock at night... The piece is dedicated to The Beatles and and their song A Day in the Life.
I - Joyful Morning:
II - Long Day at Work:
III - Tête-à-tête Evening:
IV - Serene Night:
Credits:
Musicians: National Academy Orchestra of Canada
Conductor: Boris Brott
For the video credits, see the video.
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Bungalopolis
A cabaret opera based on a comic book by Jean-Paul Eid
For four signers, a wind quintet and a pinao (2010)
Commissioned by Codes d'accès,
Collective work in many mouvements
Premiere: Thursday, May 20th, 2010, at 8 pm, at the Lion d'or
In the burlesque atmosphere of a cabaret, the legendary suburb Bungalopolis comes to life. The adventures of suburbanite Jérôme Bigras – the star of the Croc magazine and the comic book Des tondeuses et des hommes (Of Lawnmower and Men), created by Jean-Paul Eid – his brought to the stage by the unbridled imagination of the composers Éric Champagne, Frédéric Chiasson, Benoît Côté, Maxime Goulet et Pierre-Olivier Roy. An original concept of Maxime Goulet.
Opening (excerpts):
Chite, les vidanges!:
Le Marketing de Jérôme Bigras:
Credits (for audio excerpts):
Signers: Dominique Côté (baryton), Ariane Girard (soprano), Sylvain Paré (tenor), Philippe Martel (bass)
Instrumentist: Elsa Vadnais-Malo (fl), Lindsay Roberts (ob), David Perreault (cl), Mathilde Magnier (bsn), Morgan Gregory (hr), Daniel Anez (pno), Cristian Gort (conductor)
Theatre: Théâtre des Faux Plis
For the video credits, see the video.
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Citius, altius, fortius!
For orchestra* (2008)Commissioned by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra,
As part of the Olympic Commissioning Project,
Dedicated to my parents.Inspiered by the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger), this short and energetic orchestral movement is characterized by rapid, bustling textures (citius), ascending melodic gestures (altius), and powerful, brass chords (fortius).
CBC live recording:
Credits:
Musicians: Orchestre Symphonique de Vancouver
Conductor: Jean-marie Zeitouni*Available in two versions:
- Full orchestra: 3-3-3-3, 4-3-3-1, 1 timp, 2 percs, harp, celesta, strings
- Classical orchestra: 2-2-2-2, 4-3(or 2)-3-1, 1 timp, 2 percs, strings
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Commissioned by the Ensemble Euterpe,
Dedicated to Micheline Legendre,
Orchestral suite inspired by a selection of marionettes made Micheline Legendre.
I - The Master of Ceremonies:
II - Wang-Fo:
III - Arlequin & Polichinelle:
IV - Lolita:
V - The Wolf:
Credits:
Musicians: The Ensemble Euterpe
Conductor: Geneviève Leclair
Recorded by Philippe Bouvrette*Instrumentation: 2-2-2-2, 2-2-0-1, 1 timp, 1 perc, strings
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On a Tightrope
String Quartet* (2006)
Dedicated to a great friend, a remarkable pedagogue and a inspiring composer, Alan Belkin.
1st muvement:
2nd movement:
3rd movement:
Played by the Quatuor Brillante:
Violin-I : Marie-Ève Lamy, violin-II : Véronique Perraultv viola: Alexis Carter, cello: Marie-Claire Lavigueur
Recorded by Georges Forget*Available in two versions:
- Version for string quartet
- Version for solo organ (3rd movement only)
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The Wool-Spinning Devil
Musical tale for narrator trio* (2005)Recording published on the CD CéCo - En mouvement.
A traditional tale adapted by Eveline Ménard, spoken by a narrator and accompanied by a chamber ensemble.
The devil at the Sping Wheel:
Credits:
Narrator: Eveline Ménard, clarinet: Guillaume Bourque, cello: Julie-Odile Gauthier-Morin, piano: Marie-Hélène Trempe
Recorded by Georges Forget*Available in two versions (both in French or English):
- Original version, with narrator: narrator, clarinet, cello, piano
- Suite version, without narrator: clarinet, cello, piano (optional: one of the musician can tell story excerpts between the movements)
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Watercolour
For piano solo (2003)
Short impressionist piano prelude.
Watercolour:
Credit:
Piano: Evgueni Tchougounov de
