JEAN-CHARLES CÔTÉ
A bursary recipient of the Desjardins Foundation for his academic excellence, Jean-Charles Côté (b. 1972) holds Master’s Degrees in Choral Conducting from Université de Sherbrooke and in Composition from Université Laval, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Education from the University of Ottawa. His passion for composition led him to complete numerous works for instrumental ensembles and choirs, including several arrangements of francophone folk songs and popular hits in Quebec. His pieces, appreciated across Canada, are attracting more and more attention from musicians and conductors. Jean-Charles presently teaches music at the elementary level in the Eastern Townships, as well as conducting choirs in the Montreal region. He previously conducted in Ottawa and Vancouver. He also sings professionally with the Quebec Chamber Choir. At New York’s Carnegie Hall in March 2015, this choir performed his composition, Flaques de soleil (“Puddles of Sunshine”).
Beauté
by Jean-Charles Côté
SATB a cappella – CP 1647 – 5:30
Beauté (Beauty) is based on a poem from Avancées vers l’invisible by Fernand Ouellette (published by Éditions de l’Hexagone in 2015). The idea of “transfiguration” permeates all of the poet’s works, which extol the virtues of his wife. The music is simple and tonal. Its atmosphere is calm and serene, its character expressive. It is written for choirs at the intermediate or advanced level. The piece was premiered on November 5, 2017, by the Choeur de Chambre du Québec at Église St-Georges in Montreal
Ça va venir
arr. by Jean-Charles Côté
SATB with piano – CP 1423 – 2:55
Mary Rose-Anna Bolduc, née Travers, was a singer of French Canadian musician. She was known as Madame Bolduc or La Bolduc. During the peak of her popularity in the 1930s, she was known as the Queen of Canadian Folksingers. Jean-Charles has given a very convincing rendition of a Canadian classic