I Musici et Les Violons du Roy, une rencontre spectaculaire

Québec conductor Jean-François Rivest is renowned for his energy, his extremely precise technique, his style, which is passionate, moving and deeply involved, and his great communication skills. His discography serves as proof to the ease with which he masters a large variety of musical genres ranging from the baroque era up to today.

He has been Artistic Director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Laval, (10 years) and of Ottawa's Thirteen Strings Ensemble, (5 years), as well as Conductor in Residence of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM) where his tenure has been particularly significant.

Jean-François Rivest firmly believes that the next generation of musicians must rely on performers that are also active as pedagogues. He has worked for several institutions and has been teaching violin, orchestral conducting as well as a variety of advanced performance classes at Université de Montréal since 1992. He is the founder, Artistic Director and principal conductor of the Orchestre de l'Université de Montréal (OUM).

From 2009 to 2015, he has been Artistic Director of the Orford Arts Centre, (now Orford Music), nearby Montréal where he presided over the destiny of Orford’s prestigious International Academy and Festival. His period at the head of the Arts Center is unanimously seen as a time of tremendous artistic renewal and growth. In the 2012 Opus Prizes Awards ceremony, he was given the Opus Prize for the Artistic Director of the year (2011).

Mr. Rivest, who trained at the Conservatoire de Montréal and at the Juilliard School in New York, quickly established himself as one of the foremost Quebec violinists of his generation. His main teachers were Sonia Jelinkova, Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay.

Being the father of four children, family is at the center of his life. He is passionate about nature and outdoor activities, such as scuba diving, kayak, climbing, trekking and photography. He has even participated in several expeditions of a challenging level. He holds a Private Pilot License and flies his good old Cessna regularly. Jean-François Rivest believes that the many facets of nature are a vital source of artistic inspiration!

Founded in 1984 by Yuli Turovsky, the I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra is comprised of 15 exceptional musicians whose varied repertoire ranges from the 17th century to today. Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor and artistic visionary, has served as artistic director from 2011 to 2020. Since 2021, Jean-François Rivest, conductor renowned for his energy, his extremely precise technique and his passionate style, has held the positions of artistic advisor and principal guest conductor for the orchestra. Each I Musici de Montréal concert is a unique experience combining discovery, tradition and innovation in classical music. Since its inception the Orchestra has always recognized and brought to the fore emerging Canadian talents and continues to carve out a place for renowned artists, from here and abroad, while remaining a catalyst for creativity. I Musici de Montreal has delighted music lovers in over 20 different countries and has a discography made up of more than 40 recordings.

Catherine Sénart has been working in theatre and television for more than two decades. She was seen playing Marguerite Volant in Radio-Canada’s eponymous historical television series. She played in Les bracelets rouges, Épidémie, La Promesse, O’, Mon meilleur ami. In cinema, she plays Fabiola, in Pieds nus of Francis Leclerc and participated in the film of Yan England, Sam. On stage, Catherine sings as much as she plays; from Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady), to Berthe in Les Filles de Caleb and Stéphane Venne to whom she paid tribute in a solo show.