Ardent devotees of the music of our time, the Quasar saxophone quartet is dedicated to premiering and promoting contemporary music that is multi-dimensionally conceived. Celebrated for its energy, audacity and exceptional technical ability, Quasar explores different aspects of artistic creation from instrumental music to live electronics, from improvisation to instrumental theatre.
The quartet reserved pride of place for a number of Canadian composers, with whom it has formed solid partnerships. It aims to contribute to the development of our musical language and provide a platform for new music experiments, exploration and production. The quartet premiered over 70 works. At the same time, Quasar constantly seeks out new works on the international scene, which are frequently integrated in its repertoire.
Quasar also regularly collaborates with other ensembles from Canada and abroad, such as the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, Viva Voce, Totem Contemporain, Sixtrum and the Arte Quartett. The group's concerts are regularly broadcast by Radio-Canada and the CBC. Quasar also performed as guest soloist with the Montreal Symphony and the Winnipeg Symphony.
The quartet has played throughout Canada and has also toured in several European countries : the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Spain, France, Estonia, Lituania. In 2008, Quasar made its American “début” in Seattle.
Quasar was given 2 OPUS prizes in the ‘concert of the year in new music and electroacoustics’ category for Électrochocs concert (4 new works for saxophone quartet and live electronics, 2003) and for Electro Energico concert (2006). In 2005, Jean-François Laporte’s La plénitude du vide, commissioned and premiered by Quasar, won the OPUS award for ‘new work of the year’.
Member of Le Vivier, Quasar is supported by the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the Socan Foundation.
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