Commissioned by the Societé de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ) as part of its Homage Series to composer Denis Gougeon. Taking off... with Denis Gougeon! Text: Marie Décary Illustrations: Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal Content assistant: Claire Cavanagh Coordination: Noémie Pascal and Claire Cavanagh Biography and chronology: Noémie Pascal Translation: Peggy Niloff Design: Studio atelier Printing: Quadriscan Homage Series/Denis Gougeon Artistic Director: Walter Boudreau General Manager: Aïda Aoun © Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ) Legal submission, 2013 ISBN 978-2-9811517-4-2 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Bibliothèque nationale du Canada 300, boulevard de Maisonneuve Est, Montréal (Québec) H2X 3X6 Telephone: 514 843-9305 | Fax: 514 843-3167 smcq.qc.ca SMCQ would like to thank the following for their financial support: The notion of travel is fundamental to my music. Denis Gougeon, 2013 Note: words attributed to Denis Gougeon are based mostly on interviews or on his own writings. Biography Departure: Granby Flight Denis Gougeon is born in Granby (Quebec) In 1980, his studies completed, Denis in 1951, just a few steps away from the famous Gougeon accompanies Marie-Danielle Parent, zoo. His childhood is marked by animals, merry- now his wife, to New York, where she perfects her go-rounds and visitors from all over the world. talent. There he composes Voix intimes, for his Holidays are spent working in the amusement wife and her sister Yolande Parent. This work is park, on biking escapades to the aerodrome or on noted for its entirely personal meaning. Recipient train rides, thanks to his father being the station of first prize (Concours de la SOCAN), this opens master. As a youth, music is not a major part of the door to his professional career. his life: Denis Gougeon’s dreams focus on travel. Upon returning to Montreal, encouraged When he turns 15, a revelation occurs: by friends such as composers Claude Vivier and he borrows a recently acquired guitar from his John Rea, Denis continues to compose, gains siblings, never to return it. After a year of persis- commissions and wins prizes. Among others he tent self-instruction he gives his first classical joins Lorraine Vaillancourt for Événements du Neuf guitar recital. He will continue learning on his and Walter Boudreau for certain SMCQ events own until he turns 20, when he decides to make before becoming, in 1989, the first composer-in- the “big leap”: leaving his home town to study at residence with the OSM. In 1992, having barely Montreal’s École de musique Vincent-d’Indy. completed his residency, he meets Théâtre UBU director Denis Marleau, for whom he will Destination: Montreal compose music for eleven projects. He will also write for Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Denis Gougeon is now involved with SMCQ, NEM, I Musici... Soon, collaborations with diplomas and encounters. He completes his DEC the dance milieu (Jean Grand-Maître and the and Bachelor’s degree in guitar and musicology Bayerisches Staatsballett of Munich) and shows at Vincent-d’Indy, where Sister Jacques-René for young audiences (SMCQ Jeunesse, Arsenal à introduces him to composition. Just a few months musique) will be added to Gougeon’s impressive after his arrival, his path crosses with young road map, and for quite some time he will be soprano Marie-Danielle Parent. This is the start regarded as the only Quebec composer who can of a long love story and fertile music exchange. earn a living relying solely on composition. Side by side, they set up a small group, playing all types of genres in all types of venues. At the Today, with more than 100 works in his same time, the young guitarist decides to take catalog and crowned with ever more prestigious private classes in music analysis with composer prizes (in 2010 winning the first prize, grand André Prévost, with whom he will continue his finale in an international composition competi- composition studies at the Université de Montréal, tion in Shanghai), Denis Gougeon is considered eventually attaining a second Bachelor’s degree. one of the most highly regarded composers, in At the same institution, he commences a addition to since 2001, being a devoted professor Master’s degree in composition with composer of composition at the Université de Montréal. But Serge Garant, a former art director of the in spite of his accrued success, the small-town Société de musique contemporaine du Québec Granby boy is never very far away: a passion for (SMCQ). Besides helping him perfect his music life, aviation enthusiast, always ready to embark writing, Garant sensitizes him to the importance on an adventure, Gougeon continually strives to of becoming concretely involved in the cultural offer music that bears a message, that touches milieu; advice that he will follow throughout his … and that allows its listeners ”to take-off“. career. Ready? Fasten your seat belts! 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Denis Gougeon Stages and significant milestones 1951 • Meets Walter Boudreau, who will (choreography Jean Grand-Maître). • November 16th: born in Granby direct and commission many works 1st collaboration with Bayerisches (Quebec) Staatsballett (Munich) 1980 -1981 1966 • Stay in New-York 2000 • Discovered guitar, self-taught • Meets John Rea, Who later he • Planète Baobab, 1st of 3 collabora- came to regard as his “mentor” tions with Arsenal à musique (for 1967 • First “personal work”, which young audiences) • Performes his first classical assured his professional recognition • Prix Opus Composer of the Year guitar recital (1st Prize, Concours de la SOCAN) (CQM) 1970 1982 -1990 2001 • Discovers contemporary music with • Involved in Événements du neuf • Clere Venus, SMCQ, with M.-D. The Firebird (Stravinsky) Parent 1987 1971 • Heureux qui comme..., SMCQ 2001 until now • Moves to Montreal • Professor of composition (Faculté 1989 de musique, UdeM) 1971 -1975 • Birth of his son: Alexis • Cegep and Bachelor’s degree in • 1st composer-in-residence, OSM 2001-2002-2003-2007 guitar and musicology (École de • An Expensive Embarrassment • Prix Jan V. Matejcek Concert Music musique Vincent-d’Indy) — (opéra), La Compagnie d’opéra Award (SOCAN) Introduction to composition canadienne with Sr Jacques-René 2002 1990 • Arte!, Orchestre symphonique de 1972 • À l’Aventure, Montréal/Musiques Québec (OSQ) • Meets Marie-Danielle Parent, actuelles, Walter Boudreau soprano • Six thèmes solaires, Canadian Music 2004-2005 Competition • Fables (on texts of Lafontaine), 1973 -1975 I Musici, with Catherine Perrin • Forms a musical ensemble with 1992 M.-D. Parent and friends, performs • Meets Denis Marleau (stage 2007 concerts in various venues director) and Michel Goulet • Juno Award, “Classical Composi- (sculptor), with whom he will tion of the Year”, Clere Venus 1974 -1975 collaborate on many projects • Teaches music (Collège Stanislas) 2008 • Private analysis courses with: 1993 • Trip to China with SMCQ. André Prévost • Roberto Zucco, Théâtre UBU (D. Competition: Présences- Shanghai Marleau). 1st of 11 collaborations. Spring International Music Festival 1975 Masque (Prize, Académie de théâtre) (1st stage) • Marries M.-D. Parent • Un train pour l’enfer, NEM 2010 1976 -1978 1995 • Phénix, OSQ • Bachelor’s degree in composition • Le piano muet, SMCQ Jeunesse • Mutation, NEM (UdeM, André Prévost) (Clavivent), avec Gilles Vigneault • Toy (Music Box), SMCQ & Radio- • Meets Claude Vivier, composer, (for young audiences) France. Competition: Présences- who was always a staunch supporter Shanghai Spring International Music 1995 -1996 Festival (1st prize, grand finale) 1977 • Jeux de cordes, SRC (Erato Quartett • Prize, Ligue canadienne des com- Basel, Suisse) 2012 positeurs • Creation of the Year, Mutation 1996 -1997 1978-1980 • Concerto pour piano et orchestre 2013 • Masters degree in composition • Tutti, Esprit Orchestra (UdeM, Serge Garant) 1998 -1999 • Meets Lorraine Vaillancourt • Coups d’archet, I Musici 2013-2014 • Tribute paid to him by the entire 1980 1999-2000 cultural milieu as part of the SMCQ • 2nd prize, Concours national • Emma B, ballet symphonique originated Homage Series des jeunes compositeurs (SRC) 26 The Author When she was just eight years old, during an ice storm, Marie Décary came to the conclusion that nothing was better than creating all day long, to survive and thrive. With this realization, she made her way in the world. After studying com- munications, she worked as a journalist, banner designer, research assistant, and filmmaker. For the past twenty years she has been a children’s book author. She has written three fairy tales and twelve novels published by La Courte Échelle editions. Marie loves being around children and regularly attends writers’ Marie Décary workshops in primary and secondary schools and public libraries. Together with Ana Sokolović, she has also written a musical tale for the SMCQ youth sector, which in 2001 won a Prix Opus from the Conseil québécois de la musique. The Illustrator Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal has always enjoyed drawing. She studied painting and illustration in Montreal. During the course of her career, she has illustrated close to thirty children’s novels and albums, while also working on schoolbooks and international magazines. Élisabeth has lived in many countries; France, India, and Honduras, where she worked with intellectually-challenged persons. “I like helping people find their creativity because everybody has it inside them and creating is liberating: we need only to read Denis Gougeon’s comic book to Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal see this! Drawing and painting require me to be constantly evolving, and it is this that I find very stimulating.” In her drawings, she mostly uses watercolor, a quill and India ink. She sometimes adds gouache or even glues bits of paper onto them. Having had the chance to travel a lot, she sketches in a notebook, which better conveys what she sees and feels than photographs. Her talent has twice resulted in her becoming a Elisabeth Greenshield Foundation grant recipient and a finalist for the 2011 Governor General Awards.