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Voyage Musical Series

The estuary—where fresh water meets salt water—evokes transition, renewal, and fertility. It is a space of transition and transformation, where unexpected possibilities emerge—just like the musical encounters imagined by Constantinople.
In this new collaboration, Ablaye Cissoko, master of the kora, and Kiya Tabassian, virtuoso of the Persian setar, cross paths for the third time, blending the currents of their musical memories. Joining them is their longtime collaborator, percussionist Patrick Graham, who infuses this sonic conversation with rhythm and nuance. Over the years, their dialogue has deepened, evolving into a profound and inspiring musical conversation. And when the stars align for the duration of a concert, the kora and the setar intertwine their voices to create a spellbinding world that suspends time and soothes the spirit. (Cabaret-style concert)

Constantinople: Ablaye Cissoko, kora and vocals ∙ Patrick Graham, percussion ∙ Kiya Tabassian, setar and vocals

Works for double bass and piano, accompanied by traditional Iranian instruments—a musical continuum that is at once fluid and complex, light and dense. Ali Kian Yazdanfar, principal double bassist of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, will join forces with Brigitte Poulin, a native of Farnham and a pianist renowned as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and educator. They will be accompanied by Behnoosh Behnamnia on the kamamsheh and violin, as well as Bamdad Fotouhi on the tombak and daf.
A true bridge between cultures, Sayeh-Roshan uses the double bass and piano to evoke a complex and subtle reality: the encounter between cultures and the balance between tradition and modernity, between East and West.

*Bring your own cushion, if desired.

Organist Geneviève Soly, founder of Les Idées Heureuses, presents a magnificent concert consisting primarily of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. She will perform the majestic Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543, as well as challenging preludes and fugues from the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier.

To round out the program, she will play two delicate chorales by Brahms composed in homage to Bach. Geneviève Soly is considered a leading authority in the field of Baroque music. For 35 years, she served as the director of the Baroque ensemble Les Idées heureuses and has recorded some twenty albums for Analekta.

The Enchanted Night is a journey into the mysterious worlds that emerge when night falls and imagination begins to wander. From the quiet stillness of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to the shifting dreamscapes of Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, the music unfolds like fragments of memory, reverie, and fantasy. These works invite us into realms where the boundaries between reality and imagination dissolve, and where the mind drifts freely between wonder and unease.

As the night deepens, the atmosphere grows more vivid and dramatic. In the legendary tale of Erlkönig, the listener is drawn into a supernatural ride through darkness, where fear, illusion, and fate intertwine. Even the most virtuosic moments carry an undercurrent of storytelling and transformation, reflecting the Romantic fascination with myth, legend, and the unseen. The program concludes with Brahms’ Third Piano Sonata, a youthful and passionate work. The slow movement yearns reminisces about love under the moonlight, while a familiar fate motif obsessively persists within the other movements. The Enchanted Night is a reflection on the power of imagination. Dreams, stories, and music allow us to glimpse worlds both beautiful and haunting, hidden just beyond the edge of night.

Jonathan Mak, a pianist from Toronto, distinguished himself by winning the first Sorel-Tracy International Music Competition in 2024 and the first Bader & Overton Canadian Piano Competition in 2023. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in piano performance at Rice University, where he studies under the guidance of internationally renowned pianist Jon Kimura Parker. Jonathan is also a recipient of scholarships from the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation in 2021 and 2023, as well as the 2023 Walter Prsytawski Award.

An intimate chamber music concert in a relaxed atmosphere

Having been given carte blanche, virtuoso pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin returns to the Québecor stage to present an intimate and inspired recital. The recipient of numerous prestigious awards, he has established himself as one of the most influential musicians of his generation. Renowned for the finesse and elegance of his interpretations, this Quebec pianist will captivate you with the sensitivity and precision of his playing. A pure moment of musical bliss.

*Starting at 4:45 p.m., enjoy a few complimentary drinks before the concert.