Homage to Bach
St. Lawrence Choir
February 25, 2000
Église St-Jean-Baptiste, Montreal, Quebec.

The name of the "Ensemble Amati" is taken from the surname of a family of lutists from Cremona, founded by Andrea Amati. Nicolo Amati, a member of this family, was the master of Stradivarius. Founded in 1985 by Raymond Dessaints, the Ensemble Amati consists of first-class musicians. Most of them, in fact, are first-prize winners of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec. Furthermore, with violinists from the same graduating class, the Ensemble can count on an unusual degree of homogeneity of execution.

Ten recordings are testimony of the excellence of the Ensemble. The first was made in 1986, and features trombonist Alain Trudel. The second, in 1988, features the concertos for violin of Haydn, Nardini and Vivaldi, with the violinists Johanne Arel (first violin of the Ensemble), Marie-Josée Arpin and Elaine Marcil. The third, recorded in 1991, presents all the sonatas for strings written by Rossini; a video version also was released. In 1992, the Ensemble recorded a fourth album, containing the contemporary Spanish works of Federico Moreno-Torroba and Anton Garcia Abril played by guitarist Rémi Boucher, and for its fifth, the first installment of the complete repertoire of symphonies that Mendelssohn wrote in his youth. In 1993, it released a sixth recording, Italiana, dedicated to works by Verdi, Puccini, Albinoni and Respighi.

Three of Ensemble Amati's recordings have been nominated in the ADISQ annual competition. In 1994, La Ronde des Berceuses with Angèle Dubeau won a Félix and a Disque d'Or award. In 1995, Les Danses hongroises of Brahms also was nominated for a Félix. After these came an album in 1996 featuring guitarist Alvaro Pierri playing the famous Concierto de Aranjuez, and another with the St. Lawrence Choir in which works of Haydn are highlighted.

In the Spring of 1997, the Ensemble Amati launched a new series of concerts in Montreal, entitled "L'aventure....". Adapted from this production, "L'Aventure Italienne" with tenor Perry Canestrari and master of ceremonies Robert Blondin, was presented in thirty municipalities in Quebec in 1997-98. "L'aventure . trois temps (la séduction féminine)" was created at the Centre Pierre-Péladeau, salle Pierre-Mercure, on March 4, 1998, and the premiere of "L'aventure Québecoise" was performed in the same venue on May 19th. "L'Aventure Gourmande" was introduced as a contribution to the "Fêtes des Arts Gourmands" at Sainte-Adèle on May 16th, 1998 and a first "Concert Gershwin" was commissioned by the "Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur" for July 31st, 1998.

All these concerts and multimedia presentations, as well as the new series "Amatinée," aimed at young audiences, continue to be presented in Montreal and in neighboring municipalities. Must-see events!

(Click here to visit the Amati website)