Marie-Josée Simard
Renowned percussionist Marie-Josée Simard is the first woman to receive a Premier Prix in percussion from the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal in 1979. She then continued her training in London under the guidance of James Blades from the Royal Academy of Music, and in New York with the eminent marimbist Leigh Howard Stevens.
Over her forty-five-year career, she has performed in numerous concerts in Canada, Mexico, Korea, China, Poland, and France. As a soloist, Marie-Josée Simard has made history with several iconic performances. In 1984, she was invited by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to perform in honor of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. In 1992, she represented Canada in a benefit concert for the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 1998, she premiered a concerto for marimba and vibraphone composed by Jacques Hétu, which she performed with I Musici de Montréal at Place des Arts. In 2010, she collaborated with the Trois-Rivières Symphony Orchestra, and in 2012 with the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, for the premiere of François Bourassa's Trois Jazettes concertantes.
In 2003, her exceptional career was honored with the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec. In 2013, she received the Opus Award for Jazz Concert of the Year with the trio En trois couleurs, an ensemble she founded and regularly performs with, including a tour of 17 concerts in China in 2016 and nine more in 2019.
Her commitment to advancing percussion in Canada is also reflected in her work as a professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal from 1991 to 2004, where she inspired a new generation of percussionists. A Yamaha and SABIAN artist since 1992, she formed a duo in 2017 with pianist Louise Bessette to explore 20th- and 21st-century repertoire.
In 2015, she was awarded an artistic residency by CALQ in Tokyo for three months at Tokyo Wonder Site, where she was invited to Toho Gakuen by renowned marimbist Keiko Abe. In 2019, she undertook a second residency from the Quebec Arts Council at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta to develop a new work by John Plant, Three Echoes of the Odyssey.
In December 2021, she premiered a 14th concerto for marimba and vibraphone with the National Jazz Orchestra, a work supported by CALQ and CAC and composed by Christine Jensen, Marianne Trudel, and Jean-Nicolas Trottier. In 2024, she collaborated with pianist François Bourassa on a new album released by Effendi Records.
In January 2025, Marie-Josée Simard will begin a six-month residency in New York, thanks to the CALQ Studio/Residence. This prestigious opportunity, at the heart of Soho's artistic life, will further strengthen her international presence, as her talent and dedication continue to inspire admiration from audiences and respect from her peers.
