Vanier Music
821 Avenue Ste.-Croix H4L 3X9 Montreal, QC, Canada

Well, as we get closer to the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester, we are quickly getting set up for our online course deliveries (though there will still be some limited access to the college for practising and for groups like choir). In the meantime, for our upper level students and recent alumni, if you or someone you know might be interested here's an important press release from the West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra: Limited Distribution Press Release Pointe-Claire, A...ug. 5th. 2020, 6:30 pm. It is with great joy that we can announce that the West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Jean Pascal Hamelin has reached an understanding with cellist Stéphane Tetreault under which Mr. Tetreault will collaborate with the orchestra, will rehearse and play a cello concerto with the orchestra in the spring of 2021, which will mark also the orchestra's 35th. anniversary. In addition to typical and pure artistic considerations, the collaboration this time around has been marked by and conceived against the background of the challenging COVID-19 reality which has added an important dimension to it. Young musicians have found the limited access to music lessons, joint playing and practices, lack of supervised practice assignments and their likes most challenging during the pandemic, discouraging and demoralizing. The collaboration aims at setting an example, inspiring and demonstrating that music can, does and will go on. To do so, it has been agreed that no matter the concert format imposed by the COVID reality, be it to full or part capacity hall, outdoors or on-line -- the concert will, nevertheless, take place! Furthermore, in order to offer an opportunity to young, advanced musicians of all instruments to partake in the project, the orchestra has extended its auditioning period and will accept applications based solely on online videos demonstrating the applicant's talent. Questions and requests for Interview with Jean Pascal Hamelin via phone, online apps or by email are welcome. Write to: [email protected] Pertinent imagery available upon request. G. Zack, WIYSO Board, [email protected]

Ah, I love this time of year when we get to find out how our alumni are doing as they move on to bigger and better things. Here's some wonderful news on a brother-sister pair that many of you will remember as fondly as we do here at Vanier Music: After completing a Bachelor’s at McGill and then two Masters at Indiana, Gabrielle Gaudreault is graduating with a doctorate in Choral Conducting today from McGill! We are very thrilled for her, and we're looking forward to seeing wh...at amazing things she has in store next. Christopher Gaudreault finished his Bachelor’s at McGill in Piano Performance with a minor in Theory and Choral Conducting. In September, plans to return to the University of Michigan to complete his Master’s in Orchestral Conducting. We're very proud of both of them, and we wish them all the best for continued success! Congratulations Gabrielle and Christopher. If YOU have any good news on someone's (or your own) post-Vanier success, just send me a message and I'll be happy to tell the world!

Very proud of alumna Sofie Tsatas who officially graduated today from UBC with a Master's degree in Musicology. Well done Sofie!!

For current and former students who have their original material--musical or visual, doesn't matter--here's a Montreal initiative that might interest you! https://www.montrealrocks.ca/montreal-to-pay-artists-to-p/

It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of former Vanier electric guitar teacher, Tony Romandini on June 3, 2020. Tony taught here for over 20 years and retired in 2012. In addition to being a guitarist and teacher, he was a respected composer and arranger. As a teenager he studied guitar in New York, and by the age of 15 had performed with Maynard Ferguson. By the age of 20 he was working for the CBC and performing in clubs around Montreal and abroad. In additi...on to performing on guitar, Tony also played banjo, mandolin, and classical guitar. He gave concerts of classical music in France and Germany during the 1960s, and has performed with the Montreal and Quebec Symphony Orchestras. Tony appeared several times in the Montreal International jazz festival, including as a backing musician to Oscar Peterson in the pianist's appearance with the MSO at the festival in 1985. Those of us who knew and worked with him will remember him fondly not only as an amazing musical talent, but as a warm, generous person with a wonderful sense of humour. For any of our alumni who studied with him, I would hazard a confident guess that you felt the same way.