De souffles et de machines, the first CD from Quasar exclusively dedicated to works for saxophones and electronic devices has just been launched on the DAME label (collection qb).

Available online on the site of DAME

With works by: Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, Pedro Rebelo, André Hamel and Wolf Edwards

The Electro Series, a biennial event by Quasar fostering exploration, collaboration and the emergence of new ideas

The 21st Century has seen technology come to the forefront of musical invention, as it has in other spheres. Digital processing in conjunction with acoustic instruments has given us a new form of art, here to stay and sure to evolve. With their passion for the music of our times and for sonic exploration, in 2003 Quasar set forth on a new adventure which would result in the inauguration of the Electro Series.

Quasar is pleased to congratulate Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, who has won the Jules Léger prize chamber music, awarded by the Canada Council for the Arts for his work Les pâleurs de la lune. This piece, for saxophone quartet and live electronics, was commissioned by Quasar with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. The premiere took place in March 2014 at CIRMMT as part of the Electro series produced by Quasar. Since then, the piece has been performed in Dresden (Germany), Edinburgh (Scotland) and Tallinn (Estonia).

J'M'EN SAX, a work of instrumental theatre created by Michel Smith, has been awarded the Opus prize for "concert de l'année musique actuelle, électroacoustique" at the 19th gala held by the Conseil québécois de la musique on February 7th in Montreal's Bourgie Hall. 

Congratulations to everyone: composer Michel Smith, Quasar's musicians and all the creative team: Guillaume Barrette, Rodolphe St-Arnaud, Sonia Paco-Rocchia, Audrey Southière, Midori and Sandra Wang.

Thanks to all the guests musicians, composers, partners and audience members for a wonderful concert. Check out the photo-album on our Facebook page

And thanks to Charles Belisle for the picture!

Quasar has been nominated for two OPUS prizes for Michel Smith's work of instrumental theatre:

-Création de l'année

-Concert de l'année musique actuelle, électroacoustique

Bravo and good luck!