Originally from the village of Saint-Célestin, in Center-du-Québec, Julie Houle was not interested in the piano lessons her parents had given her. But in sixth grade, when she joined a primary band created by a local couple, she took up the trombone and “fell in love” with the brass instruments.
Published at 9:00 a.m.
As luck would have it, when he entered secondary school in 1994 at La Découverte school in Saint-Léonard d’Aston, a Music-study program had just been set up. It is there that she meets the tuba, which will become “her” instrument.
“I played the tuba and trombone for five years,” says Julie, who plays brass band music and contemporary music in numerous ensembles, and who has accompanied on stage both the clown Jamie Atkins and Émile Proulx. Cloutier, and who even released two albums under the name Dju.
Would she have pursued music in her life if she had not had access to this program in high school? She thinks a little. “Probably not, because there wouldn’t have been a tuba. I thought I would go into social work, and it was when I realized that I could no longer play that I decided to enroll in music at the Drummondville CEGEP. »
The musician, who continued her studies in classical performance at UQAM, is convinced that it was because the program was catchy and dynamic that she got a taste for the stage.
-We did shows in front of audiences, theater, we played in competitions, at the Jazz Festival. Having been nourished by such a great program and passionate teachers meant that I did not want to lose that in my life.
Julie Houle
Julie Houle also teaches tuba and euphonium as a specialist in schools where musical concentrations are offered. And she notes that even though times have changed, music has the same effect on young people today as it did in her time.
“I’m not saying that because I’m a musician: I see them, the benefits, for discipline, neurological development. And we talk about the feeling of belonging among teenagers… Music brings people together. There is a pleasure in playing together. Going to a music camp when you’re young, you’ll never forget those moments, whether you have a career or not. »
