Jonathan Cohen and Les Violons du Roy: a rich musical and human journey

When, in the spring of 2013, Bernard Labadie, the founding conductor of Les Violons du Roy, announced that he would be stepping down as music director at the end of the 2013–2014 season (while remaining music director of La Chapelle de Québec), it presented quite a challenge for the organization: finding someone who could keep alive the young tradition of a chamber orchestra with a unique artistic personality that, in just under 30 years, had established a distinctive musical signature and a unique place in the local, national, and international music scene. It was no small task!

Three years later, when Jonathan Cohen was unanimously elected to become the second music director of Les Violons du Roy, the entire organization could be proud of having found a rare gem: a musician of the highest caliber with the expertise required for 18th-century repertoires, as well as a strong and inspiring musical personality. Being himself a highly talented instrumentalist, cellist, and harpsichordist, he quickly understood what set Les Violons du Roy apart and immediately took great pleasure in making music with them. The feeling was entirely mutual.

Jonathan Cohen and Les Violons du Roy’s first encounters were somewhat rushed, due to Bernard Labadie’s illness at the time. The British conductor agreed to replace him at the last minute for a major European tour with pianist Alexandre Tharaud in October 2014. The 10-concert tour began in Bilbao and ended in Paris, with stops in Versailles, Frankfurt, and Cologne. Two years later, Jonathan Cohen was chosen. The public announcement was made in October 2016 at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, with technical assistance from Radio-Canada, as the new conductor was in London. Already having a very busy schedule, the new music director will take up his post in full for the 2018-2019 season. The rest is history. A history, of course, marked by a certain pandemic that led to numerous cancellations, including several prestigious tours, depriving Les Violons du Roy of all contact with their music director for more than 18 months!

Three high-quality recordings earning several nominations and rave reviews, the orchestra’s first tour of Asia, three American tours, a Canadian tour, numerous concerts in Quebec City and Montreal, several appearances at Quebec festivals, and a number of initiatives for young people, such as the Émergence program, the Chamber orchestra internship at Domaine Forget in Charlevoix, the Concerto Competition... Over the years, Jonathan Cohen has shared his great love of music with his colleagues and younger musicians, facilitated new musical encounters, and greatly enriched the repertoire of Les Violons du Roy.

Thank you, Jonathan, for all the music you have shared with such generosity and sincerity. Thank you for the precious legacy you leave to Les Violons du Roy and their audiences. We wish you all the best in your musical endeavors and look forward to our next encounters.

Laurent Patenaude
Artistic Administration Director
Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec

We are delighted to announce that Jonathan Cohen will be performing in the following concerts during the 2025–2026 season:

• Grand concert d'ouverture on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Palais Montcalm
• Grand concert d'ouverture on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Maison symphonique de Montréal
• Vivaldi, L'Estro armonico on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Palais Montcalm
• Vivaldi, L'Estro armonico on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Bourgie
• Autour de Don Quichotte on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Bourgie
• Autour de Don Quichotte on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 8 p.m. at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa

Albums

Tours

Youth Projects

Season concerts in Quebec City and Montreal