Lance Ouellette began his musical journey in his hometown- Saint John, NB.  From the age of 5, he studied the piano, voice, violin, and was regularly involved in choirs, orchestras, and chamber music with friends.  As a yearly participant in multiple categories of the NB Music Festival, Lance gained invaluable experience necessary for a career in music.

While studying violin at the University of Toronto, Lance was awarded the top prizes in both the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals and the Canadian Music Competition.  He has since appeared on stages across Canada and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician.

Lance is currently the Associate Concertmaster for the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, Associate Concertmaster for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and regularly performs with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.  Highlights include touring North America, Asia, Europe, and performing in Carnegie Hall.

Aside from a busy performing schedule, Lance is very involved as an educator.  Lance is currently teaching violin for the University of Waterloo and has collaborated with several universities in Southern Ontario.  He has enjoyed adjudicating across Canada for the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals and the Canadian Music Competition passing on his experience to many talented students.

In order to maintain a balanced lifestyle, Lance finds time to pursue other interests such as golf, table tennis, fishing, and traveling to warm places during the winter.

Testimonial:

When I reflect on my busy career as a performer and teacher, I realize how my experiences in the NB Music Festival have served as its foundation.  The constant learning of repertoire, the friendships, the performance clothes, and love of playing music for others to enjoy at the festival has been an integral part of my life ever since.  I am very grateful to all the teachers and volunteers who have been patient in keeping me on a path of participation in the festival.  I remember days when my mother would drive me from a morning violin class, then a piano class before lunch, then over to a voice class, followed by a choir rehearsal and performance in the evening, I am ever grateful for her dedication since without it, none of my career would be possible.

“Praised for his sincere and colourful playing as well as for his modern and fascinating writing, pianist and author Pierre-André Doucet is rapidly establishing himself as one of Canada’s most captivating young artists.

Mr Doucet is presently a doctoral candidate at l’Université de Montréal, where he studies with Maneli Pirzadeh. He has also benefited from masterclasses with some of the world’s leading artists, such as Elly Ameling, Marilyn Horne, Kiri Te Kanawa, Martin Katz and Graham Johnson, at the Music Academy of the West, Songfest and Tanglewood (United States) and the Franz-Schubert-Institut (Austria).

In addition to having been declared the Discovery of the Year at the latest Éloizes Gala, Pierre-André Doucet was also recently featured on CBC Radio’s list of 30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30. Winner of the Knigge Piano Competition (2013), Mr. Doucet has also been awarded top prizes for his performances of contemporary works, namely at the Ibiza International Piano Competition (2013) and the Prix d’Europe (2014). Recent performances have seen him travel throughout Canada, as well as to the United States, Austria, France, Germany, Spain and South Africa, where he will be returning in the fall for two performances of Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Rand Symphony Orchestra.”

Testimonial:

“The NBCFM was my first major competition, and thus a major stepping-stone towards launching my career – my symphonic debut (with Symphony NB) actually came as a result of my participation in the festival, in 2007! The festival was also, and remains to this day, an event helmed by competent and committed volunteers, where the focus is truly on each participant’s growth as an artist. Here’s to another 80 years of learning, exchanging and music-making in New Brunswick!”

Recorder player and harpsichordist Tim Blackmore has received praise in Canada and abroad as a musician of ‘undaunted enterprise, formidable technical powers and lyrical expressiveness’ (London Daily Telegraph). A graduate of the Montreal Conservatoire (Premier Prix, Piano), the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Guildhall School of Music in London (AGSM, Piano and Clarinet; Concert Diploma, Piano), he also possesses degrees in French Linguistics and in Education from the University of Toronto and the University of New Brunswick.

Tim Blackmore founded the La Tour Baroque Duo with internationally-renowned lutenist Michel Cardin in 2009. Since that time the Duo has performed throughout eastern Canada and in major centres such as Montreal, Toronto, London, Paris and New York. The Duo has released three CDs to critical acclaim in Canada, the USA and Europe and all three recordings were nominated for East Coast Music Awards. A fourth CD will be released in the autumn of 2015.

As the founder and Artistic Director of the Early Music Studio of Saint John and the Saint John Early Music Festival, Blackmore has acted as advisor on Baroque repertoire for Symphony New Brunswick, with whom he has toured as soloist.

For more information, visit www.earlymusicstudio.ca  and www.latourduo.co

Testimonial

My participation in the Festival was an important stepping-stone towards my career as a professional musician. It provided performing experience under pressure, and winning Star of the Festival opened doors to performing opportunities, such as my first tour as soloist with a professional orchestra, the Atlantic Symphony. Perhaps the greatest benefit the Festival can give to a participant is the confidence to continue working towards one’s goals.

Canadian violinist Jasper Wood has performed with many of North America’s finest orchestras, in cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Buffalo, and throughout Europe.  He has performed under the batons of Gregory Novak, George Cleve, Georg Tintner, Bramwell Tovey, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya. Jasper has also garnered acclaim for his performances as a recitalist and chamber musician which have taken him to major cities worldwide in venues such as Dame Myra Hess (Chicago), Carnegie Weill Recital Hall (New York) and the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts.  Jasper has been equally committed to performing in Canada’s smaller communities, such as the Northwest Territories and other parts of northern Canada.

Jasper performs with guitarist Daniel Bolshoy in Duo Rendezvous, and piano trio Triple Forte with pianist David Jalbert and cellist Yegor Dyachkov.  He also performs frequently with pianist David Riley, with whom he has performed for twenty years and collaborated on multiple recordings.  Jasper’s CD project in 2013 includes a recording of the works of American composer Mathew Fuerst.  Education and outreach has always been important to Jasper, and as such regularly visits schools and gives masterclasses.

Jasper Wood resides in Vancouver with his wife, Grace, and two children, and is Associate Professor of violin and chamber music at the University of British Columbia.

Jasper Wood plays a 1914 Stefano Scarampella violin.

Testimonial  

The New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music was a big part of my musical development as a child.  I worked so hard each year to prepare for the festival.  I’ve always thought that the competitive side of the festival is what really encouraged me to work harder and harder each year.  There were so many great young musicians that I met at the festival each year.  The friendships that I developed at this festival helped me develop important musical connections that have stayed with me throughout my career.  I always look back on the festival with fond memories and encourage all new entrants to cherish and enjoy these fun times.