(l) Jean-Philippe Tremblay is the Founder of Orchestre de la Francophonie, providing instruction for young musicians | (r) Giovanni Andrea Zanon is an immensely talented prodigyOrchestre de la Francophonie hosts 71 students Peter Kerr July 13, 2023 863 Founded by Jean-Philippe Tremblay, the Orchestre de la Francophonie brings together young classical musicians from different countries to rehearse and perform, expanding their musical experience and horizons. This summer, seventy-one musicians aged 18 to 30 from eleven countries will gather under the tutelage of Maestro Tremblay. The young musicians will represent their home countries of Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Switzerland, and Columbia. Concerts will take place at Maison Symphonique and Salle Pierre-Mercure in Montreal and Salle Raoul-Jobin at palais Montcalm in Quebec City. The three objectives of the month-long stagiaire are to have the young musicians learn, innovate and to share a social responsibility. To earn a position as a professional orchestral musician, it’s necessary for the participants to expand their life-skills as they relate to their chosen field as a classical musician. The concerts will introduce violinist Giovanni Andrea Zanon, a rising star in the classical music world. He’ll be performing in Montreal at Maison Symphonique on July 14, two days after the July 12 concert at Palais Montcalm in Quebec City. Many readers may not be familiar with the storied career of Jean-Philippe Tremblay. He studied composition and conducting at the Quebec Conservatory of Music at Chicoutimi, The University of Montreal, Ecole Pierre Monteux, Tanglewood Music Centre, and the London Royal Academy of Music. A talented conductor, Jean-Philippe has been invited to conduct orchestras in London, Paris, Dresden, Vienna, and Prague. In Asia, he has conducted the Macao Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra. Closer to home in Canada, he has worked with symphony orchestras in Winnipeg, Montreal, Quebec, Edmonton, London, the Canadian National Arts Centre in Ottawa. His impressive conducting engagements include the Canadian Opera Company, Orchestre Metropolitain and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, the Youth Orchestra of The Americas, and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra Italian violinist Giovanni Andrea Zanon has won thirty prestigious national and international competitions; and he considered to be the best young violinist of all the Italian conservatories. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, La Scala, and the closing ceremonies of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Following the advice of Maestro Zubin Mehta, Giovanni attended the Manhattan School of Music and graduated with a Master’s Degree at just sixteen years old! The July 24 and 26 concerts at Salle Pierre-Mercure will also feature outstanding musicians who are soon going to be at the top of their respective fields. For more information and tickets, please visit: www.placedesarts.com for the Maison Symphonique July 14 concert and www.centrepierrepelddeau.com for the July 24 and 26 concerts.