OLIVIER FORTIN (Harpsichord)
Olivier Fortin graduated with distinction from the Québec Conservatory in 1995. He continued his training with Dom André Laberge, obtained a Master Degree from University of Montreal under the direction of Réjean Poirier, and received several scholarships for studies in Paris with Pierre Hantai and in Amsterdam with Bob van Asperen. In 1997 he was awarded top prizes at the Montreal Bach Competition and the Bruges Festival. He is in demand as a soloist and chamber musician, touring and recording throughout Europe, China and South Korea, the United States and Canada with Masques, Capriccio Stravagante and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
He also performs with Skip Sempé and Pierre Hantaï in programs of music for two and three harpsichords. Olivier Fortin has appeared in the Festivals of Berkeley, La Roque d’Antheron, Utrecht, Aldeburgh, Regensburg, Zermatt, Montreal Baroque; Music Before 1800 and the Frick Collection in New York, the Cite de Musique in Paris, the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, BOZAR Music in Brussels, the Folle Journée in Nantes, Bilbao and Lisbon and the Festival Bach de Lausanne. As both solo harpsichordist and featured collaborative artist, he has recorded more than twenty CDs for Alpha, ZZT, Analekta, Atma, Paradizo, Alpha and Teldec.
Olivier Fortin is the founder and director of the Montreal-based ensemble Masques. Since 1998, the ensemble has become a strategic meeting point for young Canadian and European musicians. From 2004-2008 he taught harpsichord and chamber music at the Conservatoire de Musique de Quebec, and he currently teaches at the Tafelmusik Summer Institute in Toronto.
January 2017
SOPHIE GENT (Baroque Violin)
Sophie Gent was born in Perth, Western Australia. After earning a Bachelors degree with First Class Honours in violin studies in 1998, she studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Ryo Terakado, completing a Bachelor of Music Degree in 2003 and a Diploma of Advanced Studies in 2005 with high distinction.
Sophie Gent is in increasing demand as a soloist, orchestral leader and chamber musician, performing, touring and recording with the Ricercar Consort (Philippe Pierlot), Capriccio Stravagante (Skip Sempe), Masques (Olivier Fortin), Il Gardellino (Marcel Ponseele), Collegium Vocale (Philippe Herreweghe), Pygmalion (Raphael Pichon), Il Complesso Barocco (Alan Curtis), Bach Concentus (Ewald Demeyere), Retrospect Ensemble (Matthew Halls), La Petite Bande (Sigiswald Kuijken). She has performed in most of the major early music series and festivals in Europe and abroad, including the Boston Early Music Festival, Montreal Baroque, The Festival Itinéraire Baroque, The Edinburgh Festival, La Folle Journee, the Utrecht Festival and the Brugge Festival. Masterclasses and teaching also form a part of her busy schedule.
Sophie Gent plays a violin by Jacobus Stainer from 1676, formerly played by Marie Leonhardt for many historic performances and recordings.
Sep 2014
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