Based in Montréal, Québec, QUASAR is undoubtedly world’s leading ensemble in the sax quartet category. Praised as “spectacular” (The Halifax Chronicle-Herald) and “fascinating” (Journal Le Devoir), QUASAR’s mastery, prowess, incredible live shows, and, last but not least, commitment to Canadian composers, are legendary and recognised internationally. They are celebrating their 15th anniversary, bringing with them a programme including brand new pieces commissioned by and written for the Quartet.

QUASAR

Originally formed in 1995, QUASAR champions the works of contemporary composers – most notably those of Canada, but many international names as well. The ensemble explores diverse aspects of musical artistic creation from instrumental, through improvisation, to live electronics, and instrumental theatre. The quartet has formed solid partnerships with a number of outstanding Canadian composers and, to quote, “aims to contribute to the development of our musical language and provide a platform for new music experiments, exploration and production.” Appreciated around the world for their astonishing virtuosity and musical sensitivity, QUASAR will commence their Fifteenth Anniversary Canadian Tour on 28 January with a performance in Victoria, BC. Their current tour repertoire includes works by Dániel Péter Biró, Gilles Tremblay (Levées), Michael Matthews, Piotr Grella-Możejko (WIDDERSHINS, commissioned by QUASAR through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts), Colin Labadie (Mojave) and Iannis Xenakis (XAS). Matthews, Grella-Możejko and Labadie are currently Tonus Vivus members.

QUASAR comprises four great musicians. Marie-Chantal Leclair, the group’s Artistic Director, plays the soprano saxophone and also performs in an experimental rock band, Minodor. Mathieu Leclair plays the alto saxophone and devotes much of the remainder of his time to teaching. Besides playing tenor saxophone in the ensemble, André Leroux free-lances as a jazz performer across Canada and abroad. Jean-Marc Bouchard, the baritone saxophonist also performs as a soloist and teaches at the Université de Montréal. During its existence, QUASAR has performed with other ensembles including Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, Viva Voce, Totem Contemporain, Sixtum and the Arte Quartett, among many others.