Walter Boudreau Retires From Société de musique contemporaine du Québec

Ms. Anik Shooner, Chair of the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ) Board of Directors, announces the retirement of Artistic Director Walter Boudreau. This announcement follows a thoroughly considered decision on the part of Mr. Boudreau, who has led the institution for 33 years!

"Despite the pandemic, the SMCQ is doing very well. We presented an excellent 10th edition of the Montreal/New Musics (MNM) festival in a new virtual format, there is a podcast of a dozen episodes being broadcast, and the 2021-2022 season is already well underway. However, the challenges ahead for the SMCQ as well as for music and the arts in the post-pandemic world will be novel, demanding and exhilarating. That's why I believe it's the right time to step down. From now on, I intend to fully devote myself to composing, because I have a thousand new pieces of music in mind! "says the Maestro.

Ms. Shooner thanked Walter Boudreau for his successful execution of a myriad of original and unifying projects that have greatly contributed to the promotion of creative music, composers and musicians to many audiences. These include the Symphonie du Millénaire, the Montreal/New Musics (MNM) international festival, the Youth Program and the Homage Series. Throughout his mandate, the SMCQ has experienced remarkable development. It is one of Canada's leading cultural institutions.

As a composer, conductor and saxophonist, Walter Boudreau has had a profound and lasting impact on Quebec music. His contribution as a composer and artistic director has been recognized by numerous awards such as the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music, the Grand Prix Paul-Gilson Musique (Paris), the Molson Prize of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Prix Denise-Pelletier (Prix du Québec), the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, the Career Grant of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Prix Eddy-Marnay (Fondation SPACQ), to name but a few.

Ms. Shooner explains that the SMCQ will lead the selection process in order to determine the optimal person to take over as artistic director: "The Board of Directors is fully aware of the importance of this position for the music community and the unifying and innovative role that this person must play."

Founded in 1966, the SMCQ was the first Canadian organization dedicated to the dissemination of contemporary music, making composers and their music known. Walter Boudreau arrived in 1988 as the third artistic director, succeeding Gilles Tremblay (1986-1988) and Serge Garant (1966-1986).

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