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Schulich Jazz students and professor share their music with residents of Lac Mégantic

Schulich Jazz students & prof share their music with residents of Lac Mégantic
Published: 2 December 2013

It goes without saying that following the tragic disaster of July 6, 2013, residents of Lac Mégantic need all the support that can be provided to them, and  times of tragedy, music can be a tremendous comfort. It was in this spirit that Robert Roy, organizer of cultural events in Lac Mégantic, asked Rémi Bolduc, saxophonist and professor at McGill University , to take part in a weekend of concerts for residents with the aim of offering a moment of serenity to all who would attend.  Prof. Bolduc put together a quintet of students fro the Jazz performance department at the Schulich School of Music that travelled  there last weekend and they performed on November 29, 2013 at the  Polyvalente Montignac.  Participants were students   Alexis French trumpet, piano Gabriel Desjardins, Guillaume Pilote on drums and Cole Birney Stewart on bass, along with Prof. Bolduc himself.

The power of music as interpreted by the next generation of jazz musicians allowed everyone to spend a magical evening filled with moments of intimacy and a great feeling of community solidarity. "I was honoured to be be invited to participate in the concert series and to share my compositions with the residents of Lac Mégantic," said Prof. Bolduc.  "The band members played impeccably, and they were touched by the idea that art can have real power in our lives and in our society- this is a great lesson for youth and a meaningful way to share their talents."

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