HEROES
published on December 18, 2019
We can finally reveal our next project! It is an honor to have been invited for a second consecutive year to play in Nantes, not only to present several shows, but to create a brand new project to celebrate #Beethoven250.
We are delighted to present a first glimpse of HEROES, a music and video creation composed by a super duo: Myriam Boucher (with whom we collaborated for My Backyard, Somewhere) and Pierre-Luc Lecours!
Leading up to the show's premiere in Nantes in January 2020 (more details to come), we will be in creative residency at the Centennial Theater in Lennoxville - we will present the fruits of our work to the public on January 22nd. Come and join us if you can, it'll be something to see and hear!
HAPPY 1 YEAR
published on November 17, 2019
To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of the release of our album No Time for Chamber Music, we are sharing a very special track that inspired the title of the album but could not be included on the official release: here is our take on the 3rd movement of Berio’s Sinfonia. Originally written for orchestra and 8 amplified voices, this movement is a musical collage, full of quotes and references (Mahler, Stravinsky, Debussy, Berg, Ravel, Boulez, to name a few), using the Scherzo from Mahler’s 2nd symphony as its framework. It features text taken from several sources - spoken, whispered, shouted, and sung by each of us - the most prominent being Samuel Beckett’s The Unnamable. The text and the music are a sort of stream of consciousness; all of the voices, instrumental or vocal, come together as the inner dialogue of an unnamed spirit.
Special recognition goes to our dear friend Jen Thiessen, musician extraordinaire, for her incredible performance as main narrator on this track.
FINALISTS FOR THE PRIX OPUS
published on November 13, 2019
We are already very happy to be part of a community of artists so inspiring and creative here in Quebec - and now we are even happier thanks to this nomination at the Prix Opus for our album with our good friend Gustav Mahler! No Time for Chamber Music has been nominated for Album of the Year: Classical, Romantic, Post-romantic, and Impressionist music. Bravo to our amazing team!
cqm.qc.ca/1299/Finalistes_an_23.html
IT'S A WRAP
published on June 8, 2019
The season has ended for collectif9. And what a season!
Some numbers to express the magnitude of the last 12 months: we played in 15 countries and provinces (or states) - FIFTEEN! a record for us - we totaled 48 concerts and activities for over 10,000 people - thanks to you all! - this included 17 activities in the community that reached more than 2,000 people - we worked with 29 collaborators and guest artists (in addition to the 9 of us and our own Rufat).
...and we can’t forget the launch of our 2nd album - and we are still standing!
Come celebrate with us on June 17th at The Diving Bell!
COLLECTIF9 + YES WE MYSTIC
published on June 7, 2019
We’re getting excited for our next show in Montreal on June 17th!
It will be a unique collaboration between us and our friends in the Winnipeg based group Yes We Mystic. We had a blast performing with these guys for the first time in January at the Big Fun Festival in Winnipeg and we can’t wait to do it again in Montreal. This show is all about making great music with friends, genre-bending and connecting with you.
Music by Geof Holbrook, Gabriel Prokofiev, Philip Glass, Osvaldo Golijov and of course Yes We Mystic!
We hope to see you there!
Tickets on sale here
LONDON BOUND
published on April 20, 2019
In just under a month we’ll be heading to London (UK) to perform for the first time! We’re so excited for our first show on May 17th at artsdepot, a creative and innovative space which prioritizes engaging in meaningful ways with artists and the community. Then we get to perform not once, not twice, but four times as part of the Barbican Sound Unbound festival on May 18-19th. One of these shows will include pieces exclusively from our most recent album, No Time For Chamber Music (with maybe a couple added surprises!). We’re really proud to be a part of this festival that presents so many progressive and talented artists. All of the shows at this festival are free so tell your friends and family to come join us. Looking forward to sharing our music with you!
BACK ON THE ROAD
published on March 7, 2019
LA NUIT DES CHEVAUX VOLANTS IN MONTRÉAL
published on January 18, 2019
You are invited to join us for our next show in Montreal on Saturday, March 2nd. We return to NOMAD with a new (and unusual) program juxtaposing the music of Osvaldo Golijov with that of François Couperin and Taraf de Haidouks, two artists who inspired Golijov and whose music he uses in his works, in both literal and abstract ways. This program has deep roots, expressing nostalgia and suffering and inviting contemplation, but it can be frenetic and ecstatic! We are thrilled to collaborate with Sarah Albu for the first time, an exceptional singer who will no doubt surprise you. Tickets are on sale at the link below. We can't wait to share this new project with you - don't miss it!
1ST TOUR IN FRANCE
published on January 12, 2019
Last minute news! Our first visit to France has just been confirmed! In just over 2 weeks, we will have the chance to participate in the activities of La Folle Journée de Nantes with several performances and workshops (Jan. 30 - Feb. 1). Afterwards, it is with great pleasure that we make our Paris debut at La Bellevilloise (February 2). We certainly hope that you that can make it, and if you have friends or family in the area, please spread the word! We're going to give it our all!
While we have you, we'll take the opportunity to announce that we have also just confirmed our next Montreal concert: on Saturday, March 2, we're back at NOMAD with a brand new program. More details to come!
CONCERT REVIEW IN THE WHOLENOTE
published on November 21, 2018
On our way to Mexico, we stopped by Toronto to launch our new album. Paul Ennis shares the experience in the WholeNote:
collectif9 brings brilliant arrangements, exuberantly performed
Lula Lounge’s warm, relaxed atmosphere and intimate nightclub feel made it an ideal setting for collectif9’s music and undoubtedly stoked the enthusiasm of the crowd ... collectif9’s next visit to Toronto cannot come too soon.
BACK FROM MEXICO
published on November 20, 2018
What an amazing week in Morelia at Festival de Música de Morelia Miguel Bernal Jiménez ! We’re so happy we had the opportunity to share our music as well as to perform with Gabriel Prokofiev and DJ Mr Switch. What a beautiful city with wonderful people and an incredible festival. Thank you to everyone who made this week so special!
From left to right: Rika Iino, Scott Chancey, Yubin Kim, John Corban, Luciano Rodriguez Arredondo, DJ Mr Switch, Liz Skinner, Paulina Losa, Xavier Lepage-Brault, Denisse Mondragón, Gabriel Prokofiev, Melissa Haro, Robert Margaryan, Jérémie Cloutier, Andrea Stewart, Rufat Aliev, Thibault Bertin-Maghit, Rodrigo Sigal, Ricardo Gallardo and Mariol Arias.
Not pictured: Kareen Houde, Edgardo Espinosa, Ludwig Carrasco, the musicians from the Conservatorio de las Rosas, Corina Arellano Sovran, Luis Miguel Miranda, Sina, Nelson, Bryan, Charly, Daniel, Arturo, Joel, Moïse, and many other fantastic people we've met in the past week.
ABOUT NO TIME FOR CHAMBER MUSIC
published on October 31, 2018
NEW ALBUM: NO TIME FOR CHAMBER MUSIC
published on October 25, 2018
We are thrilled to finally announce the launch of our second album, after two years of experimenting, arranging, and brainstorming, coming out November 9! No Time for Chamber Music is an album of works by (or inspired by) Gustav Mahler made into chamber arrangements for 9.
No Time for Chamber Music satirically magnifies the play between opposing forces - (wo)man and nature, life and death, dark and light, frivolous and serious, melodies and fragments - with glimmering folk dances and allusions to the stillness of nature. In this album, we create our own story with this music: awakening and life, love and death, memory and disillusionment, a farewell, an homage, and, if you find it, a peaceful closing. Mahler instills the spirit of chamber music in all of his works, large and small, and we think that's what draws us in. In many ways, chamber music reflects human communication - so, don't we all have a bit of time for chamber music in our lives?
If you're in the areas of Montreal or Toronto, we hope to celebrate with you at one of our launch party concerts! Click the links below for details.
Nov. 9 - Montréal @ NOMAD
Nov. 12 - Toronto @ Lula Lounge
ANNOUNCING UPCOMING TOURS
published on September 17, 2018
This year is another big one - we have so much to announce that we can't even do it all at once!
After all of the hard work with our friends Architek Percussion to produce our biggest show yet, we are so excited to take My Backyard, Somewhere on tour, with concerts in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick this October. In November, collectif9 is heading to Mexico for the first time ever to perform in the Morelia Festival alongside amazing artists and colleagues, including Gabriel Prokofiev and Edgardo Espinosa. ¡Muy emocionante!
There's more happening, but we can only give you a sneak preview of the rest of the year - check out our upcoming US tour (March 2019), in which we dip our toes in the Pacific yet again before we breath some fresh mountain air. Sounds pretty good. Click the links below for more details.
MY BACKYARD, SOMEWHERE - Oct. 2018
with Architek Percussion
CONCERTS IN MEXICO - Nov. 2018
at the Festival de Música de Morelia
California, Washington, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming
MY BACKYARD, SOMEWHERE IN PICTURES
published on August 12, 2018
Lots of exciting stuff coming up, but first, we can't resist posting some photos of the unforgettable show we did back in June! These photos look amazing thanks to the great vision of Danylö Böbyk and Valeria Valencia Valle.
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