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Louis Babin M.Mus
Associate Composer - Canadian Music Centre
EMAIL :
WEBSITE:
[email protected]
www.louisbabin.com
CAREER SUMMARY
Composer Louis Babin creates works that are modern, playful and accessible – a personal music
avoiding trends, music that endures.
Louis Babin’s works have been acclaimed in Canada, the USA and Europe, two recent examples
being his piece for symphony orchestra - Saint-Exupéry : de cœur, de sable et d’étoiles, a
musical homage to French literary icon Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and his work for string
orchestra - Suite du promeneur.
Starting out in his twenties as a violist, then working as a much-in-demand trumpeter for 40
years, Louis Babin puts a creative emphasis on instrumental play. Thanks to his wide ranging
experience performing on stage, he has a solid knowledge of all musical genres: classical, jazz,
contemporary, experimental, current and even pop. His eclectic talent has seen him perform in
New York, Paris, Basel, Zurich and Toronto. His is a palette rich in musical vocabularies that has
given him the necessary tools to compose several works for film and theatre.
Louis Babin’s deepest artistic priority however is concert music, which inspired him to seek out
the guidance of teachers Michel Longtin and alan Belkin at the Université de Montréal where he
completed a Master’s degree in Composition.
Louis Babin’s musical vocabulary is cultivated and well honed. Duel, a composition for piano,
was singled out for a Special Mention at the IBLA Grand Prize World Music Competition in Italy
in the summer of 2010. La suite du promeneur, created in 1992 under the direction of Boris
Brott, has been performed by several noted ensembles, including l’Orchestre de Chambre de
Montréal, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Longueuil, as well as at the Festival des Eurochestries in
Vienne, France, and by Montreal’s FACE School String Orchestra at the International Society for
Music Education conference in Greece.
In recent years Louis Babin’s involvement in broadening the scope of musical creation within the
educational system has become an increasingly central part of his work . the Molinari Quartet
has commissioned a work to be performed for a youth audience. He gives music composition
workshop at some high school.
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EDUCATION
Université de Montréal, Masters in Composition (dir. Alan Belkin and Michel Longtin)
2005 - 2007
Concordia University, Baccalauréat partiel - Fine Art, integrative music
1983 -1985
Conservatoire de musique de la province du Québec à Montréal,
trumpet (Jacques Lecomte), viola (Otto Joachim) and counterpoint (Clermont Pépin)
1974 - 1981
École de musique Vincent-d’Indy, trumpet and piano
1966 – 1968
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Apple Corporation (New York)
Certified Pro Logic Trainer (first to be certified in Quebec)
since 2007
Skidmore Jazz Institute (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Jazz improvisation
2003
Scott Smalley - American composer and orchestrator (New York)
Orchestration for film music
2003
Guild of Canadian Film Composers (Montreal)
Film music orchestration workshops
2003
Don Sebesky - American composer and orchestrator (New York)
Film music technology
1987
CÉGEP Maisonneuve (Montreal)
Course in radio technology (in association with CIBL-FM)
1981
James Thompson, Charles Ellison, Réal Matthieu, Dominic Derasse
Trumpet
1982 - 2007
HONOURS, PRIZES AND APPOINTMENTS
Festivals of Music (New York) 3 prizes with the Orchestre à cordes des jeunes de Laval under Babin’s conducting
2014
CMC-FAMEQ Winner commissioning of a work for wind orchestra
2014
CMC Quebec – Quebec Music Competition - sponsored by Quebecor; 1st edition 2012-2013
…appointed to build a catalogue of works for piano
… to be distributed to young musicians in Quebec school music programs
2013
Quebec Arts Council travel grant for Festival des Eurochestries project
2012
Quebec Arts Council grant in support of a new work commissioned by the Molinari Quartet
2011
Special Jury Mention for Duel, a work for piano solo - IBLA Grand Prize World Music Competition
2010
Honorific with Distinction to recognize 15 years of teaching - Trebas Institute, Montreal
2008
Nominated for Best Original Music - Zie 37e Stagen, Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival
1997
SODEC grant in support of professional projects (for the album Mananara) - Société des entreprises culturelles
1998
Quebec Arts Council - Type A grant
1997 et 1998
Benson & Hedges Prize – musician category (trumpet) – Concordia University Orchestra top prize
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1986
COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE
Festival des Eurochestries en Charente-Maritime (France)
Composer
…a work for symphony orchestra: Saint-Exupéry : de cœur, de sable et d’étoiles
2012
Carillon de la Place Claude-Léveillée (Laval)
Composer, technical director
…a work for for carillon bells: Première volée, Indicatif du carillon, Jour du Souvenir
2011
Pointe-de-l’Île School Board
Composer; and music creation workshops
…a work for winds: Jean-Claude, agent secret
2010
FACE School, Montréal
Composer; and music creation workshops
…works for diverse ensembles: Stairs, Couleurs, Le cirque court-circuité, Graduation, Après tant d’années,
To Dream
2009-10
CONCERT MUSIC
Phœnix
Violin and string orchestra
Commissioned by French violonist Marie Cantagrill and Orchestre de chambre d’Ariège en France
2014
Contes et légendes
Wind orchestra
Commissioned by CMC-FAMEQ
2014
Le gardien du temps
Vibraphone solo
2013
Papillonnages
Vibraphone solo
2013
L’Indécis
Concerto for 6 trumpets, one soloist and orchestra
Created by trumpeter Frédéric Demers and the Orchestre symphonique de L’Estuaire
under the direction of Luc Chaput
2013
Allez, viens!
Piano solo. Finalist at the compositon contest of CMC – Québecor 2013
2012
Jour du Souvenir
Carillon bells
Carillon de la Place Claude-Léveillée, Laval
2012
Indicatif du Carillon
Carillon bells
Carillon de la Place Claude-Léveillée, Laval
2012
Saint-Exupéry : de cœur, de sable et d’étoiles
Orchestra
…a work commissioned by the Fédération des festivals Eurochestries (France)
2012
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Quatre
String quartet
…a work commissioned for the Molinari Quartet for a youth audience performance
Prix Opus
Original works for Prix Opus gala (annual Conseil québécois music awards show)
2012
2008-2009-2010-2012
Première volée
Carillon bells
Carillon de la Place Claude-Léveillée, Laval
2011
Jean-Claude, agent secret
Winds orchestra
…a work commissioned for 4 school music programs by the Pointe-de-l’Île School Board, Montreal
2010
Le cirque court-circuité
Choral and winds
…commissioned work based on the Visages suite, composer in residence – FACE School, Montreal
2010
Graduation
Winds
…commissioned work based on the Visages suite, composer in residence – FACE School, Montreal
2010
Stairs
Choral and piano
…commissioned work based on the Visages suite, composer in residence – FACE School, Montreal
2010
Après tant d’années
Choral and piano
…commissioned work based on the Visages suite, composer in residence – FACE School, Montreal
2010
Couleurs
String orchestra
…commissioned work based on the Visages suite, composer in residence – FACE School, Montreal
2010
To Dream
String orchestra
…commissioned work based on the Visages suite, composer in residence – FACE School, Montreal
2010
Qui suis-je?
Piano solo
2010
Vains sont les jours
Piano solo (performed by Patil Harboyan; 2010, New York)
2010
Duel
Piano solo (performed by Philippe Prud’Homme; 2009)
2008
L’Homme exposé
Brass quintet
…a work commissioned for performances celebrating the 40th anniversary of Expo 67
performed by the musicians of l’Orchestre Métropolitain for the Concerts populaires de Montréal series
2007
L’Homme exposé encore une fois
Version of L’Homme exposé for 2 trumpets and organ
…a work commissioned for performances celebrating the 40th anniversary of Expo 67
performed at the Festival Orgue et couleurs de Montréal
2007
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L’engin de mort
Orchestra
2007
4 Sonneries
Trumpet solo
…a work for the opening of the General Chapter of the Grey Sisters at Montreal
2006
Procession
Trumpet and organ - performed by Louis Babin, trumpet, and Yvan Provost, organ
2000
Deux mouvements pour un ange...
Viola and piano
1994
Gloire à Dieu
Women’s choir, organ and brass quintet
…Chœur du Gesù, director Patricia Abbott
1992
Suite du Promeneur
String Orchestra
…performed by l’Orchestre Philharmonique de l’Isle, directed by Boris Brott
1992
Mellow Tones For Johnny
Flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion and cello
…a work commissioned for The American Festival of Microtonal Music Ensemble, director Johnny Reinhard
1993
Coquerelles à l’hôpital
A cappella choir
1983
C’est la Noël...
A cappella choir
…performed by Tudor Singers; director Wayne Riddell
1983
FILM MUSIC
Om
Original music for a short animation by director Sanaa Legdani
2010
Original music for a short animation by director Jean-Philippe Côté
2009
Original music for a feature-length film by director Sylvain Guy
2000
Iqaluk
The List
Le voleur d’étoiles
Original music for a short film by French director Philippe Monpontet
1998
Zie 37e Stagen
Original music for a short film by director Sylvain Guy
1997
Polaroid
Original music for a short film by Anne-Marie Losique
1994
L’autoportrait
Original music for a short film by Denise Labrie
1993
Stéréotypes
Original music for a short film by Jean-Marc Vallée
1992
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I Won' t Dance
Original music for a feature-length film by director Hunt Hoe
1991
Mackenzie King and the Conscription Crisis
Original music for a short documentary (NFB)
1990
L’amour volé
Original music for a short film by director Pierre Vallée
1990
Deaf and Mute
Original music for a feature-length film by director Hunt Hoe
1986
The Trade
Original music for a short dramatic video by director Sylvie Bélanger
1986
Closing Time
Original music for a short film by director Hunt Hoe
1984
THEATRE MUSIC
La légende du roi Arthus
Original music for a theatre piece by Mario Boivin and Michel Garneau
1997
Le Bossu de Notre-Dame
Original music for a theatre piece by Richard Lemire based on the novel by Victor Hugo
1993
C'est pas parce qu’on est jeune qu’on n’est pas pareil
Original music for a theatre piece by André Miville-DesChênes
1982
L’amiral blanc
Original music for a theatre piece by Yves Brodeur and Carolanne St-Pierre
1980
Les filles de l’amour divin
Original music for a theatre piece by François Beaulieu
1980
RECORDINGS (PARTIAL LIST)
Saint-Exupéry : de cœur, de sable et d’étoiles and other works
Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Petr Vronsky
Composer – one symphonic poem and two works for string orchestra
2015
Tribute
Music by Eric Radford
Olympic Games 2014
Arranger and producer
2014
Dimensions, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Petr Vronsky
Composer - two works for string orchestra: La Suite du promeneur, Couleurs
2012
Bassoonist, American Festival of Microtonal Music
Composer – a work for wind octet: Mellow Tones for Johnny
2009
Carnaval & Concertos, Frédéric Demers, trumpet
Composer, arranger, orchestration
2009
Jazzons Noël, Opus Lib
Director, arranger and trumpet
2002
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L’Été du Labrador, Geneviève Charest
Director, arranger, orchestration and trumpet
2002
Mananara, Louis Babin
Composer, director, trumpet and co-producer
2000
Les Clarinettes Ont-Elles un Escalier de Secours? Robert Marcel Lepage
Arranger and trumpet
1998
Je me souviens, Jean Derome
Trumpet
1997
Descente vers l’espoir, Roger Tabra
Arranger and trumpet
1996
Jezabel, Gerry Boulet (Dan Bigras, producer)
Arranger for violinist Angèle Dubeau and the Claudel String Quartet
1994
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