During their extensive tours, Christ and Dominique showcased their musical prowess in a special tribute concert to the legendary Astor Piazzolla. The performance artfully weaved together compositions from influential figures in Piazzolla’s youth, including Gardel, Bach, Ellington, Ginastera, Fauré and Bartok. As a crowning moment, Dominique contributed an original composition titled “Hommage à Piazzolla,” a captivating piece for guitar and cello that served as the grand finale, touching their audiences with its emotive resonance and exciting solos for both instruments.

Piazzolla, the pioneering Argentine composer, created the groundbreaking Tango Nuevo style, fusing elements of traditional tango and classical music. This innovative style laid the foundation for the duo’s exploration and reinterpretation of Piazzolla’s works, adding a contemporary dimension to their performances.

Together, Christ and Dominique form a harmonious musical partnership, conquering audiences with their distinctive sound and collaborative synergy. Their performances create an immersive experience for their listeners, showcasing not only their technical prowess but also a deep appreciation for classical music. As a duo, they continue to enchant and inspire, leaving an enduring impact on the Canadian classical music landscape.

Christ Habib is an acclaimed classical guitarist recognized for his exceptional artistry and passionate performances. He has earned numerous distinctions, including first prize in classical guitar at the National Music Festival (FCMF) in Saskatoon (2019) and recognition as one of Canada’s Top 30 Classical Musicians Under 30 (2020).

In October 2020, he made his debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra under renowned conductor Alexander Shelley, performing Jacques Hétu’s Concerto for Guitar and Strings, Op. 56. Habib’s competitive successes span both national and international stages, consistently earning top placements.

A graduate of the Gatineau Conservatory of Music, he completed a Master’s degree and received the Prize in Chamber Music after 12 years of study with Patrick Roux. He has further refined his craft through masterclasses at the Boston International Guitar Academy and the Domaine Forget International Academy, studying with distinguished artists from around the world.

Dominique Beauséjour-Ostiguy is an award-winning cellist and composer, celebrated for his artistry and versatility. Recipient of the 2018 Prix d’Europe, the 2021 Choquette-Symcox Award, and the 2017 Peter Mendell Award, he was named one of CBC Music’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30” in 2018. A two-time first prize winner at the Canadian Music Competition, Dominique has performed as a soloist with leading ensembles including the Laval Symphony Orchestra and the Drummondville Symphony Orchestra.

An active chamber musician, he is a founding member of the Trio de l’Île and the Andara String Quartet, performing across North America and Europe, and joined the acclaimed Hochelaga Trio in 2018. As a composer, Dominique earned third prize in the Domicile Adoré competition organized by the Fondation Jeunesses Musicales Canada in 2020. The Laval Symphony Orchestra has performed two of his works under the direction of Alain Trudel. He is also the co-founder of BOA Experience, a collaborative instrumental project of original compositions, and released Aux deux hémisphères—an album of his complete works for cello and piano—with pianist Jean-Michel Dubé.

Dominique holds a Master’s degree in performance from the University of Montreal, where he studied with Yegor Dyachkov, and has participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Mischa Maisky, Alisa Weilerstein, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Hans Jørgen Jensen, Raphaël Wallfisch, Philippe Muller, and Richard Aaron. He performs on a 1704 David Tecchler cello and a c.1855 Pierre Simon bow, generously loaned by Canimex Inc. of Drummondville, Quebec.

Hailed as “exquisite” by the WASBE Journal, Canadian flutist Phoebe Robertson is Assistant Professor of Music at Arkansas Tech University. Her solo and orchestral performances have brought her to such venues as Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie as well as halls from coast to coast in North America. She has performed as soloist with ensembles including the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic, and Symphony New Brunswick. Recipient of the Grand Prize of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition in 2015, she has since performed in competitions and festivals across North America and Europe, earning the Harry G. Archer Award, the title of Major Artist of the Pittsburgh Concert Society, third place in the Flute Society of Washington Young Artist Competition in the American national capital, and top prizes in the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic Soloist Competition and the Silberman Chamber Music Competition. Her playing has been featured on BBC Radio 3 and in records on the Linn and NYOC labels.

Her performances as an orchestral flutist have brought her to halls throughout Europe and North America, including a broadcasted performance with the Orchestra of the Americas at the 2018 Edinburgh International Festival. She frequently appears alongside members of the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra as a fellow of APEX Ensemble, conducted by the Met’s concertmaster, David Chan. She has also performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, among other ensembles. Equally passionate about performing, teaching, and research, her academic focus is on the flute music of Sofia Gubaidulina and the philosophical concept of opposition. She has presented her work throughout North America and Europe, with several publications forthcoming. Her research on sexuality in Greek myths as depicted in music by Debussy and Ravel has also been published in the Eidolon Journal of Classics. She is frequently engaged to write program notes for the North Shore Symphony Orchestra and other ensembles throughout the United States and Canada, and has been praised for her ability to write about music in a way that makes concerts more accessible to audiences with a wide variety of backgrounds. She serves on the editorial board of CAML Review, the official publication of the Canadian Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres, and strives to stay deeply connected to her Canadian roots while living and working in the United States.

Raised in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, Phoebe earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, studying with Linda Chesis and Robert Langevin. She holds a Master of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Lorna McGhee, and a Bachelor of Music degree from her studies with Camille Churchfield at the University of Ottawa. Her studies and professional activities have been generously supported by the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, the O’Brien Foundation, and the Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. www.phoeberobertsonflute.com.

Pianist, writer, and cultural worker Pierre-André Doucet is a leading voice among Canada’s newest generation of artists.He has performed in every Canadian province, as well as extensively throughout Europe, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. From 2016-2020, he was one of the first chamber musicians hired to the Lincoln Center Stage roster, a collaboration between the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Holland America Line which saw him perform on cruise ships worldwide. He has been heard on NPR, Radio-Canada and CBC, and has toured under the auspices of both Debut Atlantic and Prairie Debut, among others. Winner of the prestigious Knigge Piano Competition, as well as the Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition alongside soprano Alexandra Smither, he has also been a laureate of the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto Career Development Award Competition, the Ibiza International Piano Competition and the Prix d’Europe. His ardent work in disseminating new music has also led him to premiere works by William Bolcom, Mark Carlson, Richard Gibson, Libby Larsen, Nicole Lizée, Jocelyn Morlock, and Alan L. Smith, among others.

Mr. Doucet has been a guest professor at l’Université de Montréal, where he completed doctoral studies under the tutelage of Maneli Pirzadeh. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Performance in collaborative piano from McGill University. Previously, he also attended masterclasses at Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, the Franz-Schubert Institut, and Toronto Summer Music, and as recipient of a Stern Fellowship at Songfest. Through these experiences, he has benefited from masterclasses with such luminaries as Sir Thomas Allen, Elly Ameling, Helmut Deutsch, Julius Drake, Margo Garrett, Marilyn Horne, Graham Johnson, Warren Jones, Kiri Te Kanawa, Martin Katz, Christa Ludwig, Sanford Sylvan, Dawn Upshaw, Roger Vignoles and Howard Watkins. He has received financial support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Joseph-Armand Bombardier Graduate Scholarship), the Fonds québécois de recherche en société et culture, the Canadian Art Song Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the New Brunswick Arts Board.

Pierre-André Doucet is the prize-winning author of Sorta comme si on était déjà là (2012) and Des dick pics sous les étoiles (2020), both published at Prise de parole. He is a three-time finalist of the literary competition at the Jeux de la Francophonie (Beyrouth 2009, Nice 2013 and Kinshasa 2023), and his works have also appeared in Ancrages, Art Song Canada Magazine, Impossible Archetypes and Voix plurielles. In 2023, he was the artistic director for Une maison traversée, an event celebrating his publishing house’s 50th anniversary at Montréal’s Festival international de littérature. He has been co-Director of Barachois Summer Music since 2012, and was also the Interim Executive Director of the Frye Festival, Atlantic Canada’s largest literary event, from 2021-2022. Since last summer, he has been the coordinator of the McGill-UdeM Piano-Vocal Arts Residency, of which he was part of the first graduating class.

In June 2024, Jonathan will be competing in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah as one of 37 pianists chosen for the quarterfinal round from the live preliminary rounds. As a recipient of the 2023/2024 IMAGINE Arts Incubator program, Jonathan will be returning to the Isabel Arts Centre for the Performing Arts in August 2024 to record an audio and video album of solo piano pieces by BIPOC composers revolving around the theme of war and the musical response to it. The program supports artists and their projects through the granting of venue space, production staffing, and artist honoraria.

For the 2024/2025 season, Jonathan will be performing Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Kingston Symphony, and Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra at Rice. Jonathan has been invited to perform at various festivals including the Bravo! Vail Festival in Colorado, the Festival of the Sound in Ontario, Ottawa Chamberfest, and the Edinburgh International Festival. He has attended various summer festivals, including the Aspen Summer Music Festival, Kneisel Hall Music Festival, Toronto Summer Music, and the Sarasota Music Festival. Jonathan has performed with artists such as Martin Beaver, Yura Lee, Joel Link, and the Viano String Quartet. An advocate for community outreach, Jonathan is a second-year member of DACAMERA’s Young Artist Program, a fellowship program for emerging professional instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers that serves the Houston community.

As a founding member of Trio Menil, Jonathan performs in a Houston-based piano trio formed at Rice University. Trio Menil received the Grand Prize at the Plowman Chamber Music Competition in 2023. Their 2024 season includes performances at the Aperio Concert Series, as well as competing in the 2024 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in South Bend, Indiana.

Jonathan is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music under the guidance of Jon Kimura Parker. He holds a Master’s of Music and a Master’s of Musical Arts degree from the Yale School of Music, studying with Boris Slutsky. He received his Bachelor’s degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Dr. Daniel Shapiro, as well as minors in Viola and German. For more information visit www.jonathan makpiano.com.

Les Barocudas have established themselves as an innovative ensemble on the early music scene. Eager to combine wit and creativity with their high-calibre performance skills, the ensemble brings a signature freshness to Baroque repertoire, which has charmed audiences far and wide with a refreshing approach to early music performance and Baroque repertoire.

Following the success of their award-winning debut album, La Peste, Les Barocudas period ensemble returns with Basta parlare! (Enough said!), a program exploring the dynamic, experimental musical style that swept 17th century Italy — in particular, works that showcase the violin and recorder.

Joining Les Barocudas Marie-Nadeau Tremblay (violin), and Tristan Best (viola da gamba), are Vincent Lauzer, (recorder); and Christophe Gauthier (harpsichord). Basta parlare includes works by Italian baroque composers including Dario Castello, Giovanni Legrenzi, Tarquinio Merula, and Biagio Marini, among others, whose music was considered almost radical at the time.

Marie Nadeau-Tremblay

Since graduating in 2019 with a master’s degree in early music, Marie Nadeau-Tremblay has established herself on the Canadian scene as an emerging young baroque violinist. In 2019, she landed an unprecedented four awards at the Mathieu-Duguay Early Music Competition, including First Prize. Named Radio-Canada’s 2021–2022 classical “Revelation” and winner of the 2022 “Discovery of the Year” Opus Prize, Nadeau-Tremblay also received the 2022 Choquette-Symcox Award from the Jeunesses Musicales Canada Foundation. While her album La Peste (2020) earned Juno and Opus award nominations, her most recent album, Préludes et solitudes (2021), which was highly acclaimed by both the CBC and Early Music America, won a 2023 Opus Prize for “Album of the Year.” In 2022, Marie Nadeau-Tremblay received a career development grant from the Fondation Père Lindsay. She performs on an original Thomas Perry violin (1750) as well as on an Amati model violin by Timothy Johnson generously loaned to her by Mr. Jacques Marchand. In addition to music, Nadeau-Tremblay enjoys drawing and is studying Mandarin and Japanese.

Depuis sa graduation en 2019, où elle obtient une maîtrise en musique ancienne, Marie Nadeau-Tremblay a su s’imposer sur la scène canadienne comme jeune violoniste baroque de la relève. En 2019, elle figure quatre fois au tableau d’honneur du Concours international de musique ancienne Mathieu-Duguay, remportant entre autres le premier prix. Nommée « Révélation Radio-Canada 2021-2022 » en musique classique et « Découverte de l’année » aux prix Opus 2022, Marie est aussi lauréate du prix Choquette-Symcox de la Fondation Jeunesses Musicales Canada. Son album La Peste (2020) lui a valu des nominations aux prix Juno et Opus. Son plus récent album, Préludes et solitudes (2021), a été chaleureusement accueilli par la critique, tant par la CBC que par Early Music America, et gagne un prix Opus en 2023 dans la catégorie « Album de l’année ». En 2022, Marie reçoit en outre une bourse de développement de carrière de la Fondation Père Lindsay. Elle joue sur un violon Thomas Perry (1750) ainsi que sur un violon Amati fabriqué par Timothy Johnson, lequel lui est généreusement prêté par M. Jacques Marchand. Outre la musique, Marie aime beaucoup dessiner et étudie le mandarin et le japonais.

Vincent Lauzer

Hailed for his “athletic and virtuoso playing” and “sensitive interpretations”, recorder player Vincent Lauzer leads an active career as a performer, artistic director, and teacher. He is Artistic Director of the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival, Co-Artistic Director of Les Plaisirs du clavecin, Head of Youth Development with Arion Baroque Orchestra, and since November 2022, he has served as Co-Artistic Director of the Montreal Baroque Festival. In October 2018, his recording of Vivaldi’s concertos with Arion Baroque Orchestra was awarded a Diapason d’or by the renowned French magazine Diapason. In addition to several prizes in national and international competitions, he received the prestigious Fernand Lindsay Career Award in 2015. He was named “Révélation Radio-Canada” in 2013–2014 and “Discovery of the Year” at the 2012 Opus Awards. In 2012, he won First Prize at the Canadian Music Competition’s Stepping Stone and the Career Development Award from the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto. Vincent Lauzer is a member of Flûte Alors! and regularly performs as a soloist with Arion Baroque Orchestra, La Bande Montréal Baroque, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and Les Violons du Roy. He has played in various series and festivals in Canada and the United States, as well as in Mexico, France, Germany, Spain and Belgium.

Reconnu pour son jeu «athlétique et virtuose» et pour ses interprétations «senties et sensibles», le flûtiste à bec Vincent Lauzer mène une carrière active à titre d’interprète, de directeur artistique et d’enseignant. Il est le directeur artistique du Festival international de musique baroque de Lamèque, le co-directeur artistique des Plaisirs du clavecin, le responsable du développement jeunesse pour Arion Orchestre Baroque et, depuis novembre 2022, le co-directeur artistique du Festival Montréal Baroque. Son enregistrement des concertos de Vivaldi avec Arion Orchestre Baroque lui a valu, en octobre 2018, un Diapason d’or, décerné par le célèbre magazine français Diapason. Lauréat de nombreux premiers prix lors de concours nationaux et internationaux, il reçoit en 2015 la prestigieuse bourse de carrière Fernand-Lindsay. Il est nommé «Découverte de l’année» au Gala des prix Opus 2012, puis «Révélation Radio-Canada 2013-2014». Il remporte également en 2012 le premier prix du Tremplin (Concours de musique du Canada) ainsi que le Career Development Award du Women’s Musical Club of Toronto. Vincent fait partie de l’ensemble Flûte Alors! et se produit comme soliste avec Arion Orchestre Baroque, La Bande Montréal Baroque, l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, le Pacific Baroque Orchestra et Les Violons du Roy. Il a en outre joué dans plusieurs séries et festivals d’envergure au Canada et aux États-Unis, de même qu’au Mexique, en France, en Allemagne, en Espagne et en Belgique.

Tristan Best

Tristan Best is an early string instrument player currently based in Montreal, Quebec. With roots in New York and Nova Scotia, Tristan came to Montreal in 2016 to study viola da gamba and early music performance. Tristan holds a bachelor and a master of music in viola da gamba performance after completing his studies at McGill University in 2021 under the tutelage of Betsy MacMillan and Elin Soderstrom. Tristan frequently performs with Montreal-based ensemble Les Barocudas, has participated in the Montreal Baroque Festival, and was awarded the Founder’s Prize along with second place as a soloist in the Mathieu-Duguay Early Music Competition in 2022. Outside of performance, Tristan is also an educator and has given workshops and lectures about the viola da gamba around Canada and the United States.

Tristan Best est un gambiste originaire de New York et de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Son amour de la musique ancienne le mène à Montréal en 2016 pour l’étude de la viole de gambe à l’Université McGill, où il obtient un baccalauréat, puis une maîtrise sous la tutelle de Betsy MacMillan et d’Elin Soderstrom. Tristan se produit souvent avec l’ensemble montréalais Les Barocudas, a participé au Festival baroque de Montréal et a reçu le prix du fondateur ainsi que la deuxième place en tant que soliste au Concours de musique ancienne Mathieu-Duguay en 2022. Quand il ne performe pas sur scène, Tristan est également un éducateur et a donné des ateliers et des conférences sur la viole de gambe au Canada et aux États-Unis.

Christophe Gauthier

Born in Montréal, Christophe Gauthier studied harpsichord with Mireille Lagacé at the Conservatoire de Montréal. He then earned two degrees at the Université de Montréal, his bachelor’s studying with Réjean Poirier and his master’s studying with Luc Beauséjour. His skill as a chamber player has led Christophe Gauthier to help found a number of ensembles, including the Rendez-vous baroque français and the Consort Laurentien. The latter group performed in the summer of 2021 at the Utrecht Early Music Festival in the Netherlands. He performs as organist and harpsichordist with the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (SMAM), Arion Baroque Orchestra, I Musici de Montréal, and the Orchestre Métropolitain under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Christophe Gauthier teaches organ and harpsichord at the Cégep de Saint-Laurent. He is regularly invited to teach at the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance (Nova Scotia). He occasionally directs ensembles from the harpsichord, and conducts the choir Ensemble vocal Vivace. Notably, he has directed performances of the operas Dido and Aeneas by Purcell, Hercules by Handel, and David et Jonathas by Charpentier. He can be heard weekly on Radio VM, where he co-hosts the show Musique classique.

Né à Montréal, Christophe Gauthier a effectué ses études au Conservatoire de Montréal (classe de clavecin de Mireille Lagacé) et ses études de baccalauréat (classe de Réjean Poirier) et de maîtrise (classe de Luc Beauséjour) à l’Université de Montréal.

Ses qualités de chambriste ont amené Christophe Gauthier à participer à la fondation de nombreux ensembles, dont les Rendez-vous baroque français et le Consort Laurentien, lequel s’est produit à l’été 2021 au Festival de musique ancienne d’Utrecht (Pays-Bas). Il s’exécute également en tant qu’organiste et claveciniste avec le Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (SMAM), Arion Orchestre Baroque, I Musici de Montréal, et l’Orchestre Métropolitain, sous la direction de Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Pédagogue, Christophe Gauthier enseigne l’orgue et le clavecin au Cégep de Saint-Laurent. Il est régulièrement invité à enseigner à la Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance (Nouvelle-Écosse). Appelé occasionnellement à diriger des ensembles à partir du clavecin, il est également chef de choeur pour l’Ensemble vocal Vivace. Il a notamment dirigé les opéras Didon et Énée de Purcell, Hercules de Handel et David et Jonathas de Charpentier. On peut l’entendre chaque semaine à l’antenne de Radio VM, à la barre de l’émission Musique classique.