Dive into the heart of sonic creation with the 10th edition of Quasar Saxophone Quartet’s Electro Series

Electro Series – 10th Edition
Thursday, April 23 at 4:00 p.m. – public workshop
Friday, April 24, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. – Fiery Encounter XXIII
7:30 p.m. – concert
Multi‑media Room (MMR) – 527 Sherbrooke West, Montreal QC

Montreal, March 25, 2026 – The Quasar Saxophone Quartet continues its exploration of cutting‑edge technologies with the tenth edition of its renowned Electro Series. On April 24, 2026, the public is invited to the Music MultiMedia Room (MMR) for an evening of new creations.

Electro Series 10 is the culmination of a collaborative creative process shaped by an intensive week‑long residency, during which the four composers worked closely with Quasar’s musicians. This collective immersion allowed them to refine the interactions between the acoustic qualities of the saxophones and the technological devices, a research process that was then opened to the public through a workshop offering a first glimpse into these evolving sonic worlds.
The program plunges us into oceanic depths with Oliver Schneller’s Saqua – into the Deep, which uses underwater recordings and geophones to immerse the quartet in a true marine biotope, fascinatingly recreating the singular and unpredictable physics of aquatic waves. This exploration of sonic matter gives way to the emotional and politically charged work of Alithéa Ripoll who, in COCKS IN HELL, DEMOISELLES – Débugue-toi, lady!, addresses themes of trauma and self‑defense through a sophisticated setup combining motion capture and bone‑conduction headphones for a striking sense of physical proximity. Time then fractures under the pen of Corie Rose Soumah with the flower of having passed through paradise in a dream, an oneiric piece inspired by the poetry of Emily Carr and queer theory, where melodicas and electronics merge to suspend the listener in a drifting present. Finally, the journey concludes with the melancholic aesthetic of Gordon Fitzell, who explores liminal spaces through a five‑part study featuring retro objects and synchronized video, transforming the concert into a strange, surreal passageway reminiscent of the abandoned spaces of our daily lives.
 

The 10th Electro Series will be presented in Montreal on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Multimedia Room (CIRMMT), with a pre‑concert event at 6:30 p.m. (co‑produced with CIRMMT and Le Vivier). A public workshop will also be offered on Thursday, April 23 at 4:00 p.m.

Free tickets, reservation required: https://forms.office.com/r/pBdxghYFw6  
 

PROGRAMME
 

Oliver Schneller
Saqua – into the deep (2026), creation, Canadian premiere — commissioned by Quasar, with the support of Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation
For saxophone quartet and multichannel audio
 

Alithéa Ripoll
COCKS IN HELL, DEMOISELLES - Débugue-toi, lady! (2026), creation, Canadian premiere — commissioned by Quasar
For saxophone quartet and electronics with spatialization (loudspeakers and bone conduction headphones)
 

Corie Rose Soumah
the flower of having passed through paradise in a dream (2026), creation, Canadian premiere — commissioned by Quasar, with the support of Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
Pour quatuor de saxophones, mélodicas et électroniques
 

Gordon Fitzell
liminal spaces : a study in five acts (2026), creation — commissioned by Quasar, with the support of Manitoba Arts Council et du Winnipeg Arts Council
For saxophone quartet, immersive audio, synchronized video and found objects

Quasar saxophone quartet – https://quasar4.com/en  
Marie-Chantal Leclair – artistic director, soprano saxophone
Mathieu Leclair – alto saxophone
André Leroux – tenor saxophone
Jean-Marc Bouchard – baritone saxophone
 

Renowned for their energy, unique sonority and fearless innovation, the four members of Quasar have been exploring the multiple facets of musical creation since its foundation in 1994. A highly versatile ensemble, they demonstrate exceptional artistry across a wide spectrum of genres and asthetics from acoustic works and improvisation to cutting-edge electronics, music-theatre and multidisciplinary productions.
Their artistic excellence has earned them 11 OPUS Awards from the Conseil québécois de la musique—including the coveted “Artist of the Year” prize—confirming their status as one of Canada’s most influential contemporary music ensembles.
 

Partners:

Contact:
Maëva Acolatsé
Communications coordinator – Quasar Saxophone Quartet
communications@quasar4.com | 1.438.388.4865