Louis Dufort has a bachelor’s degree in electroacoustic composition from the Faculty of Music of the Université de Montréal as well as a master’s degree from the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, where he received a first prize with distinction. But university studies have not altered his iconoclasm and originality: his passion for electronic music and his love of cinema, painting and contemporary dance lead him to incorporate elements in his composition that are drawn from beyond music.

Object, body, color and sound anecdote give rise to plays of perception that envelope the listener. Sound material is used in this way to draw forth musical outlines in which poetry and the narrative representation of sound serve as markers in the development of the work.

He currently divides his time between composing for the Marie Chouinard contemporary dance company (he composed the music for the choreography of Le cri du monde, which premiered in Toronto on March 21, 2000), his work with the artistic committee of ACREQ, and the creation of hybrid and unbridled musical experimentation.

His works have been presented in Montréal and in Europe, especially in France. In 1996 he won the First Jury Prize at the fifth Concours international électro-vidéo clip organized by ACREQ for his work entitled Vulvatron 2000 (1994). In 1997, he received First Prize from the SOCAN Foundation for Concept 2018957 (1995) and was a finalist at the Concours international Noroit-Léonce Petitot in Arras, France.

Manu Militari (2003)
for saxophone quartet and live electronics

This piece follows a direction that has emerged in my latest works and in which the acoustic timbre of an instrument is genetically modified through various technologically-produced means. Very fashionable subject, needless to say. However, the saxophone is here the subject of such an experiment and, even though what you see is a real saxophone, its virtual double will come and add humongous columns of air to it, will add dozens of keys to it, will double the size of its mouthpiece, will multiply its amplitude and that should really be something so check it out.

Beyond the work's technical aspects, there is a will to shed light on the power of music which, in spite of many composers, has often been put to questionable use. This power of music has nevertheless always fascinated me. If cinema can make you shiver with fear or shed a sweet tear, then so can music. Just allow yourself to be carried away by the sonic waves and your imagination will take care of the rest.

This is dedicated to Carl Teike (1864 - 1922), sergeant and composer. He essentially wrote military marches, including an extraordinary one named "Alte Kameraden", parts of which were used here as basic material.

Manu Militari has been premiered January 24 2003 as part of Électrochocs concert at l'Espace chorégraphique Jean-Pierre Perreault, Montréal.

Accident (2001)
for soprano saxophone and live electronics

Accident :
1. An event that is without apparent cause, or is unexpected
2. An unfortunate event, especially one causing physical harm or damage, brought about unintentionally.
(Oxford dictionary)

Accident has been premiered by Marie-Chantal Leclair, April 26 2001 as part of (S)axe(s) concert at the Théâtre La Chapelle (Montreal).

Manu Militari

Accident