The story behind Orgue et couleurs

The Fall Festival Orgue et couleurs was founded to give a wide audience the opportunity to hear the Saint-Nom-de-Jésus Church’s Casavant organ, restored in 1999. After the last phase of restoration, Pierre Larivière, who was director of the Maison de la culture Maisonneuve for 15 years, joined forces with Régis Rousseau, the church’s official organist, to set up an annual event that would showcase the organ through an innovative program of events featuring a variety of musical groups.Close to thirty activities are scheduled over the ten-day event. In 2002, over 9,000 people attended the Fall Festival.

A professional organist who studied at the major music schools in Quebec, Régis Rousseau has always wanted to share his passion with as many people as possible. He has long been interested in a variety of musical forms and is very active on the Montreal cultural scene. Pierre Larivière hasextensive experience in the cultural field and was the initiator of several major events on the Quebec arts scene, such as the Coup de coeur francophone and Évidemment jazz. In 2001, organist Lucie Beauchemin joined the team as assistant artistic director and production manager. A graduate of the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, Lucie Beauchemin is committed to bringing her favourite instrument to a wider audience.The combined experiences of the trio of organizers make for a dynamic team eager to demystify the organ and its repertoire, too often reduced to its liturgical dimension.

Incorporated in 1998 as a non-profit organization, Orgue et couleurs held its first edition in 1999. It was a great success. During the second edition, in fall 2000, the Festival focused on strengthening its foundations and establishing its presence in the public eye. For the Festival’s third edition in 2001, a baroque music section was added, after Quebec organ builder Karl Wilhelm installed an organ with a baroque sound at the Très-Saint-Rédempteur Church. In February 2001, the Réseau indépendant des diffuseurs d’événements artistiques unis (RIDEAU) honoured the Festival Orgue et couleurs with its Initiative Award. This prestigious award recognizes the Festival’s innovative programming and unique contribution to the Quebec arts scene.In November 2002, the Conseil québécois de la musique presented Régis Rousseau with the Opus Award for Artistic Director of the Year, a special award attributed for the first time on this occasion.

Orgue et couleurs now organizes various satellite activities that take place throughout the year: the Ligue d’improvisation à l’orgue (LIO), created in February 2002 and recipient of the RIDEAU 2003 Initiative Award, which takes place annually from January to June in several Quebec cities;the extraordinary marathon of organ music 24 Hours on the Bench; and starting in 2003, Les concerts populaires de Montréal, a summer series of symphonic music.

A member of the Conseil québécois de la musique and the Fédération québécoise des amis de l’orgue, Orgue et couleurs works closely with the main players in the Quebec music community. The organization has a number of partners such as the Amis de l’orgue de Montréal and similar associations in Quebec City and Drummondville, Pro Organo Mauricie, Diffusion culturelle de Lévis (L’Anglicane), la Société du Palais Montcalm in Quebec City and others in the private sector. Committed to developing a national promotional network, Orgue et couleurs is at the forefront of a dynamic movement serving the organ and music in general.

Orgue et couleurs enjoys the support and cooperation of a number of partners including the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de la Métropole, Canadian Heritage, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Fonds de stabilisation et de consolidation des arts et de la culture du Québec, Ville de Montréal, Conseil des arts de Montréal and du Maurier Arts Council.