Marc Bélanger (musician)
Encyclopedia
Marc Bélanger is a Canadian violin
ist, violist
, conductor
, arranger
, composer
, and music educator.
, Bélanger is the son of violinist and conductor Edwin Bélanger
and the brother of musician Guy Bélanger
. It is from his father that he received his initial musical training. At the age of eight he began studying the violin with Calvin Sieb and singing with Claude Létourneau at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
. He continued to study at the conservatoire through 1961, earning a diploma in 1960 with premier prixs in both harmony
and chamber music
. He also studied conducting at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana
under Hermann Scherchen
.
Bélanger began his career working as an ensemble musician, conductor, and arranger for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. Between 1956-1971 he played the violin and viola in various orchestras at the CBC in Quebec and from 1972-1976 he played in the CBC Orchestra in Montreal. From 1958-1972 he was a member of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra; notably serving as the ensemble's principle violist from 1969-1972. In 1981 he played an instrumental role in establishing the Orchestre Métropolitain
(OM) in Montreal; notably serving as the OM's first Musical Director from 1981–1986 and then Artistic Director in 1986-1987. At Expo 86
he was a guest soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
for the inauguration gala of the Canadian Pavilion. He later served for several years as the principal violinist of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
and the Orchestre de chambre de l'Estrie.
Bélanger's compositional output consists of several instrumental works, of which his Divertissement (1969) for string quartet is his best known. From 1966-1979 he was a member of Gilles Vigneault
's ensemble and he arranged many musical works for that group. In 1976 he founded the Groupe Marc Bélanger, a 10-musician ensemble which used electrified instruments. The ensemble's LP record
Les Cordes en liberté features several compositions by Bélanger. In 1977 he orchestrated the music for André Gagnon
's ballet
Mad Shadows.
In 1971 Bélanger joined the faculty of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal where he taught courses in viola, violin, and arranging and directed the jazz ensemble through 1977. From 1973-1979 he also taught viola and chamber music at the University of Montreal. In 1991 he began teaching at the Cégep de Drummondville
where he is a violin instructor and leads the string orchestra.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, violist
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and music educator.
Life and career
Born in Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Bélanger is the son of violinist and conductor Edwin Bélanger
Edwin Bélanger
Edwin Bélanger was a Canadian conductor, violinist, violist, arranger, and music educator. He had an association with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec for more than 50 years, including serving as the orchestra's principal conductor from 1942 to 1951.-Education:Born in Montmagny, Quebec,...
and the brother of musician Guy Bélanger
Guy Bélanger
Guy Bélanger is a Canadian tenor, opera director, composer, and conductor. In 2004 he and Claude Fradette won the Juno Award for best film score for their work on the movie Gaz bar blues...
. It is from his father that he received his initial musical training. At the age of eight he began studying the violin with Calvin Sieb and singing with Claude Létourneau at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec is a music conservatory located in Quebec City, Quebec. Founded by the Quebec government in 1944, it became the second North American music institution of higher learning to be entirely state-subsidized...
. He continued to study at the conservatoire through 1961, earning a diploma in 1960 with premier prixs in both harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
and chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. He also studied conducting at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana
Accademia Musicale Chigiana
The Accademia Musicale Chigiana is a music institute in Siena, Italy. It was founded by Count Guido Chigi Saracini in 1932 as an international centre for advanced musical studies. It organises Master Classes in the major musical instruments as well as singing, conducting and composition...
under Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen was a German conductor.-Life:Scherchen was originally a violist and played among the violas of the Bluthner Orchestra of Berlin while still in his teens...
.
Bélanger began his career working as an ensemble musician, conductor, and arranger for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. Between 1956-1971 he played the violin and viola in various orchestras at the CBC in Quebec and from 1972-1976 he played in the CBC Orchestra in Montreal. From 1958-1972 he was a member of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra; notably serving as the ensemble's principle violist from 1969-1972. In 1981 he played an instrumental role in establishing the Orchestre Métropolitain
Orchestre Métropolitain
The Orchestre Métropolitain is a Canadian orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec. The OM primarily gives its concerts in the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at the Place des Arts, and also performs at the Théâtre Maisonneuve...
(OM) in Montreal; notably serving as the OM's first Musical Director from 1981–1986 and then Artistic Director in 1986-1987. At Expo 86
Expo 86
The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
he was a guest soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra performing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over 240,000 people attend its live performances each year. It was founded in 1930 and plays in 12 venues. Its home is the Orpheum theatre. With an annual operating budget of $9.5 million, it is the...
for the inauguration gala of the Canadian Pavilion. He later served for several years as the principal violinist of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
L'Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke , is a symphony orchestra based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, with Université de Sherbrooke as its home.- Histoire :The orchestra's first performance took place on...
and the Orchestre de chambre de l'Estrie.
Bélanger's compositional output consists of several instrumental works, of which his Divertissement (1969) for string quartet is his best known. From 1966-1979 he was a member of Gilles Vigneault
Gilles Vigneault
Gilles Vigneault, is a Canadian poet, publisher and singer-songwriter, and well-known Quebec nationalist and sovereigntist.A poet deeply rooted in his native Quebec, Vigneault has become an icon at home and Quebec ambassador abroad...
's ensemble and he arranged many musical works for that group. In 1976 he founded the Groupe Marc Bélanger, a 10-musician ensemble which used electrified instruments. The ensemble's LP record
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
Les Cordes en liberté features several compositions by Bélanger. In 1977 he orchestrated the music for André Gagnon
André Gagnon
André Gagnon, OC is a Canadian musician and composer. He shifted from a classical musical style to an adult contemporary style in the mid-1970s with albums such as Neiges....
's ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
Mad Shadows.
In 1971 Bélanger joined the faculty of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal where he taught courses in viola, violin, and arranging and directed the jazz ensemble through 1977. From 1973-1979 he also taught viola and chamber music at the University of Montreal. In 1991 he began teaching at the Cégep de Drummondville
Cégep de Drummondville
Cégep de Drummondville is a CEGEP in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada.-Programs:The Cégep de Drummondville offers types of programs: pre-university and technical...
where he is a violin instructor and leads the string orchestra.