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Biography

Arion Baroque Orchestra, founded in 1981, is the only early music orchestra performing on period instruments in Québec. The clarity and freshness of Arion’s interpretations have been remarked upon since its first concerts; the delicacy of its interpretations of well-chosen and varied works has never wavered in 29 years. Constant attention to detail has earned the orchestra, led by the enlightened artistic vision of flutist Claire Guimond, a place among the most renowned early music ensembles in North America and throughout the world.

The group offers a prestigious concert series in Montréal featuring more than twenty musicians and with the participation of internationally known guest conductors. Arion has hosted such celebrated conductors as Jaap ter Linden, Monica Huggett, Barthold Kuijken, Daniel Cuiller and Elizabeth Wallfisch, to name just a few.

Arion has been awarded many prizes and grants that have enabled the orchestra to stage concert tours regularly in Québec, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe. In 2006, Arion made its first tour to Asia.

Arion has also put together an impressive recording collection with 25 titles both as an ensemble and as an orchestra, distributed internationally and on the web. Famous artists such as  sopranos Agnes Mellon and Suzie LeBlanc, mezzo Kimberly Barber, altos Matthew White and Daniel Taylor, baritone Max van Egmond and violinist Monica Huggett, as well as Barthold Kuijken and Jaap ter Linden plus a star-studded galaxy of soloists from among the best early music musicians in the country have performed with Arion.

Arion, a true ambassador of Baroque musical heritage, is a partner of the Fondation Arion and of early-music.com, a site devoted to promoting and broadcasting early music artists. Arion is also an active member of the Conseil Québécois de la Musique, the Guilde des musiciens – of the Union des Artistes du Québec, Culture Montréal, the American Federation of Musicians, and Orchestrascanada.org.

 

Discography

Arion’s discography currently contains 25 cds.

early-music.com publishes Arion’s discs.

 

C.P.E. Bach—Concertos et Symphonies (2010)
Arion, guest conductor: Gary Cooper, harpsichord

Haydn—La Passione (2009)
Arion, guest conductor: Gary Cooper, harpsichord

Corette—Symphonies des noëls (ré-édition 2008)
Arion

Telemann— Les trésors cachés (2007)
Arion, guest conductor: Jaap ter Linden

Rebel—Les Plaisirs champêtres (2007)
Arion, guest conductor Daniel Cuiller

Vivaldi—Chiaroscuro (2006)
Mathieu Lussier, bassoon

Faustina Bordoni—Visages d’une Prima Donna (2005)
Kimberly Barber, mezzo-soprano, Jonathan Carle, baryton, Arion, guest conductor: Monica Huggett

Telemann, Tutti flauti ! (2005)
Arion, guest conductor Jaap ter Linden with Matthias Maute et Sophie Larivière (recorder) et Claire Guimond & Mika Putterman (flute)

Maria, Madre di Dio (2003)
Arion, guest conductor Monica Huggett avec Agnès Mellon, soprano and Matthew White, alto

Handel—Love Duets (2002)
Suzie LeBlanc, soprano, Daniel Taylor, contre-ténor, Arion, guest conductor Stephen Stubbs

Bach—Suite et concertos (2001)
Arion, guest conductor Jaap ter Linden

Suites concertantes (2001)
Arion, guest conductor Barthold Kuijken

Handel—Sacred Arias (2000)
Arion, Daniel Taylor, alto

Jean-Marie Leclair—Concertos (1998)
Arion, Monica Huggett, violon, Claire Guimond: flute

O’Carolan’s Harp (1997)
Siobhan McDonnall, Celtic Harp

Joseph Bodin de Boismortier—Les Quatre Saisons (1997)
Arion with Isabelle Desrochers, Hervé Lamy et Max van Egmond

Georg Philip Telemann—Musiques de table (1997)
Arion

Johann Sebastian Bach—Six sonates en trio (BWV 525—530) (1996)
Arion

Un concert en Nouvelle-France (1995)
Arion with Richard Duguay, ténor

Johann Sebastian Bach—L’offrande musicale (1995)
Arion

Mythologie Quatre cantates françaises (1994)
Arion with Danièle Forget, soprano

Musique de chambre baroque avec flûte à bec
Arion with Marion Verbruggen

Georg Philipp Telemann—Quatuors parisiens (1991)
Arion

Entre Paris et Versailles—Musique de chambre française du XVIIIe siècle (1985)

Conversations en musique—Musique de chambre du XVIIIe siècle

 

Distinctions

Arion has received many prizes:

- A Felix from l’ADISQ, CD of the year soloists and ensemble (Quebec).

- Four Opus, category Disc of the year, baroque music and category concert of the year (Quebec).

- Choice of the public, Concert of the year 2006 by the Conseil des arts de Montréal (Montreal).

- Second place at the International Handel Recording Prize (UK).

- Nomination at the Grand-Prix du Conseil des Arts de Montréal (Canada).

 

Arion on Tour

Since 1981, Arion has presented concerts in Quebec, Canada and internationally

Canada

Fredericton, Nouveau-Brunswick

Mission, White Rock, Salt Spring, Colombie-Britanique

Edmonton, Alberta

Early Music Vancouver

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
Toronto Series,

Ottawa,

Regina Musical Club

Winnipeg, MusikBarock

Calgary Pro Musical Society,

Whitehorse Concerts (YK)

Women’s Musical Club of Toronto

Early Music Society of the Islands,
Victoria

Edmonton Chamber Music Society

Oakville

Winnipeg Bach Festival, Manitoba

Other city:  Alma, Rimouski, Valleyfield, Sainte-Thérèse, Ville Mont-Royal, Sept-îles, Shawinigan,
St-Jérôme, St-Hyacinthe, L’Assomption, Longueuil, Montréal, Terrebonne, Québec, etc.

 

United States

San Diego, California

Lycée français de Los Angeles

Frick Collection, New York

Chamber Music Society of
Grand Rapids

Boston Early Music Festival

Cambridge Society for Early Music

 

Mexico

Festival Internacional Cervantino

 

Brazil

Conservatorio Brasileiro de Musica, Rio de Janeiro

 

France

Fêtes musicales de Savoie

Rencontres et Musique de Valmorel, Haute-Savoie

 

Belgium

Bruxelle, Centre Woluwe-St-Pierre

Festival de Bruges

Festival du Brabant Wallon

Sint Truiden

Antwerp

 

Great Britain

Bath, Michael Tippett Centre

Londres, Southbank Centre

Londres, City Music Society

Stamford Arts Centre

University of  Southampton

Tonbridge, Tuedeley Festival

Canterbury Festival

 

Ireland

Early Music Network

 

Italy

Festival Muscia Antiqua a Magnano

 

Japan 2006

Sasayama (Koukyo Hall)

Tokyo (Dai-ichi Seimi Hall)

Nagoya (Shirakawa Hall)

Shizuoka (Ongakukan AOI Hall)

 

Broadcasters of Arion’s albums

Label

Les Productions earlymusic.com

 

Canada  and United States

Naxos

 

Europe and Great Britain

Codaex

 

Japan

Mercury

 

Korea

ALES music

 

Arion’s Reviews

 

The feeling of majesty and grandeur that one can sense in the presence of such a full sound is capable of giving one goosebumps. 

- Richard Boisvert, Le Soleil

 

One admired the placement of notes, the performance of the quietest nuances, and the smoothness of the orchestral blending.

- Christophe Huss, Le Devoir

 

This early music group, who plays in the style of period music and on instruments of the time period, is one of the groups that makes Montreal a capital of Baroque music. 

- L’Actualité

 

The Montreal-based Arion Ensemble has extended its wings to become a first-class baroque orchestra.  It works with a impressive and varied line-up of guest conductors, which is certainly one of the secrets of its success.  On this very beautiful disc, it is the Dutchman Jaap ter Linden who directs these lively inspired interpretations of the great Bach's well-known works.

- The National Post

 

This is my second experience with Arion, and the second time that the guest conductor and soloist have demonstrated their remarkable talent, passion, and enthusiasm.

- Jonathan Blanchet, Voir

 

An exceptional duet: the Arion orchestra, who plays on period instruments, is one of the most illustrious spokespersons from Quebec and is among the best baroque orchestras at the international level. 

- Il  Cittadino Canadese

 

Arion offers us lively music through its energetic and disciplined interpretation and the crystal clarity of its playing. 

- Takaaki Aosawa, Japon

 

In the intervening years Arion has matured to cultivate its own distinctive sound: bright, energic, high-profile rhythmically, with not too homogenized a blend so that the delicious timbres of the instruments come through with splendid impact.  It is a current style-setter for what the music of the Baroque era must have been like.

- Atlanta Audio Society

 

There is absolutely nothing small about Arion’s sound, and its tone is as full and rich as an orchestra many times its size”.

- Mike D. Brownell, allmusic.com