McGill Chamber Orchestra Organ Gala at Maison Symphonique

The MCO presents Jean-Willy Kunz, the first organist in residence of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

The McGill Chamber Orchestra will close its 76th season with organ virtuoso Jean-Willy Kunz. He will join the MCO, under the leadership of Boris Brott, for a concert of some of the most stunning pieces in the organ repertoire. The concert is held in collaboration with the Concours International d’Orgue du Canada and will be given at the Maison Symphonique on Tuesday, June 7 at 7:30 pm.

Presented by Power Corporation of Canada, the evening’s program will be played on the magnificent Casavant organ of the Maison Symphonique with music by Handel, Ravel, Rheinberger, and Albinoni. We will also be presenting the World Premier of In Flux, written especially for this concert by MCO composer-in-residence Harry Stafylakis.

“On June 7th we meet the gargantuan Pierre Béique Organ of the Maison
Symphonique with a very eclectic program. Along with Haydn’s famous “Cuckoo and the Nightingale” and Albinoni’s favourite Adagio, join me on a discovery of Rheinberger’s rich and romantic concerto for Organ. Our soloist is Jean-Willy Kunz is the first organist in residence of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. Get ready to be blown away by 16 and 32 foot organ stops; the kind you can ‘feel’ as well as hear.“
– Boris Brott

Jean-Willy Kunz is the first organist in residence of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. In addition to playing both with the orchestra and in recital, he sees to the development and showcasing of the OSM’s Grand Orgue Pierre Béique installed at Maison symphonique de Montréal.

Jean-Willy Kunz studied with Louis Robilliard and Mireille Lagacé, as well as at McGill University, where he earned a doctorate with John Grew. He has been a prize‐winner at a number of organ competitions, including the Canadian International Organ Competition, where in 2011 he won third prize and the Richard Bradshaw Audience Prize.

His discography includes many recordings which reflect the broad range of his musical influences: organ and orchestra with the OSM; “André Gagnon Baroque” for harpsichord and symphony orchestra; traditional music of the Balkans for saxophones and organ; two masses by Théodore Dubois for chorus and organ; 20th century French music for harpsichord, flute and clarinet; Québec song with Pierre Lapointe; baroque music with Ensemble Caprice; Christmas music with Marie-Josée Lord; the original score for a number of short films.

He has co‐written a book on German organist Helmut Walcha (Do Bentzinger, 2004) as well as an article entitled “L’orgue et le regard de l’écoute” (Presses de l’Université de Montréal, 2014). In September 2015, Jean‐Willy Kunz was appointed organ professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal.

To buy tickets: www.placedesarts.com or call 514-842-2112