NEWS | Composer Denis Gougeon wins the Serge-Garant Prize

The Serge-Garant Prize is awarded to the composer Denis Gougeon. It was during a ceremony organized last night at the Serge-Garant Hall of the Faculty of Music of the University of Montreal that the Émile-Nelligan Foundation made the announcement. During this ceremony, the flautist Ariane Brisson and the pianist Chloé Dumoulin performed works by the composer.

Denis Gougeonnow aged 73, has had a rich and diversified career for more than 40 years. His creations touch the world of opera, symphonic music and chamber music, in addition to having signed numerous scores for the theater, having collaborated on several occasions with the director Denis Marleau. Himself a former student of Serge Garant, Denis Gougeon was also a composition teacher, first at McGill University, then at the University of Montreal where he worked from 2001 to 2019.

As president of the jury, the violinist Olga Ranzenhoferfounder and artistic director of Four Molinarideclared during the award ceremony: “The works of Gougeon are recognizable. Just as we are able to recognize the works of Mozart, Beethoven or Bartók, those of Gougeon have a uniqueness, a very “gougeonesque” color”

In fact, the “signature Gougeon » is sought after and appreciated by musicians and music lovers. Note that two of his recent creations, namely Rejoice! for organ and orchestra and Enjoy Yuli for two cellos and strings, are finalists for the Creation of the Year prize at the next Opus Prize gala.

Remember that in addition to the Serge-Garant prize, Denis Gougeon was one of the recipients of the Prix du Québec awarded earlier this fall. He was awarded the Denise-Filiatrault Prize, the highest distinction from the Quebec state which celebrates creators in the field of performing arts.

The Serge-Garant Prize is one of the four distinctions offered by the Émile-Nelligan Foundation. With a $25,000 grant, this triannual prize has been awarded, since its creation in 1991, to composers Denys Bouliane, Michel Gonneville, Gilles Tremblay, Bruce Mather, François Morel, John Rea, Yves Daoust, André Hamel, Ana Sokolovic et Joseph Evangelista.

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