Philippe Macnab-Séguin
Position at Le Vivier:
Philippe Macnab-Séguin is a composer currently pursuing his D.Mus in composition at McGill University under the supervision of Jean Lesage. His compositional work aims to create a new musical language at the crossroads of popular musics (especially jazz, metal, funk and electronic music) and contemporary classical music. His music is rhythmically driven and complex, reflecting his background as an electric guitarist in metal and jazz, his study Nancarrow’s music, and his lessons in konnakol (south Indian vocal percussion) with Ghatam Karthick. His in-depth study of Aural Sonology, the frequent presentations and workshops he gives on the subject, and his contact with Lasse Thoresen helps ground his artistic research in clear perceptual principles.
He has receive numerous prizes and scholarships for his music and research, such as a BMI student composer award (2012), three SOCAN young composer awards (2015, 2018), funding from the FRQSC and SSHRC (2017, 2018), the Luba Zuk Piano Duo Composition Prize (2020) and a commission from the McGill Symphony Orchestra (Andrew Svoboda Award, 2019).