The Quasar Saxophone Quartet continues its international collaborations by joining forces with Trio Zukan from the Basque Country in Spain.

Quasar Saxophone Quartet kicks off its 2025–2026 Montreal Series with a bang! Following a fruitful first exchange in 2021 (Quebec–Basque Country), Quasar reunites with Trio Zukan (percussion, accordion, and txistu) for Chambre d’écoute: an in-depth encounter between new music from Quebec and the Basque Country in a unique and immersive concert.

The evening opens with the international premiere of Chambre d’écoute 2 by Quebec composer Chantale Laplante, the work that lends its name to the concert. The program continues with a bold and vibrant selection highlighting the distinctive colors of both ensembles, presented in a variety of formations and sound worlds—trio, quartet, quintet, and even septet, acoustic and electronic.

Credits

Jean-Marc Bouchard saxophone baryton, Quasar
André Leroux saxophone ténor, Quasar
Mathieu Leclair saxophone alto, Quasar
Marie-Chantal Leclair saxophone soprano, Quasar
Jon Ansorena txistu, Trio Zukan
Maria Zubimendi accordéon, Trio Zukan
Gorka Catediano percussion, Trio Zukan
Jon Cleveland conception lumière

Programme

World premiere

Chantale Laplante Chambre d’écoute 22025

quatuor de saxophones SATB, accordéon et électronique

Miguel Matamoro Concerto Grosso 2021

saxophone quartet (SATB), percussion, accordion, txistu

Émilie Girard-Charest Artefaktuak2024

percussions, accordéon et txistu

Ramon Lazkano Jalkin2012

quatuor de saxophones SATB

Émilie Girard-Charest Quantum Statistical Zero-Knowledge2021

saxophone quartet (SATB), percussion, accordion, txistu

Around the concert

18 h 30 Discussion with the artists

In a world where everything is accelerating, where everything must fit into a few characters, a few seconds, where our attention span is shrinking — how is contemporary music affected?
Guests: Maria Zubimendi (Trio Zukan), Gorka Catediano (Trio Zukan), Alain Brunet (journalist), Olivier Saint-Pierre (composer)
Moderator: Francis Battah