The board of directors of the Contemporary Music Society of Quebec (SMCQ), through the voice of its president, Anik Shooner, announced Tuesday morning the retirement of its artistic director, Walter Boudreau. The latter will have directed the institution for 33 years.
“I’m 73 years old, even though in my head I’m 19! So it’s been simmering for four years and I had informed the board of directors that I was going to take a gradual retirement, ”said Walter Boudreau to the To have to. This is why the SMCQ presents the departure of the third artistic director in its history as the result of a “carefully considered decision” on its part.
For the successor of Serge Garant (1966-1986) and Gilles Tremblay (1986-1988), the task ended up weighing: “These last ten years, it required so much energy from me that I neglected my composition. . I was forced to put aside my first passion. “
One or two directors
In the eyes of Walter Boudreau, everything is going well at the SMCQ and “the team has never been so efficient”. The pandemic has however come to exacerbate the urgency to cut the cord. “Serge Garant, for whom I had boundless admiration, left too early. For my part, I want to pass control of the cockpit to rethink myself. Imagine the time I spent studying other people’s scores! “
Walter Boudreau, who leaves with “a certain nostalgia” and the pride of beating “all artistic directors in longevity”, will not be involved in the selection of his successor. “I would have too much weight and I did not marry the Queen of Austria to create a dynasty of little Walter’s,” he said in an amused tone.
The board of directors “will bring people together to make the right decision.” Joined by The duty in the afternoon, Anik Shooner specified that this research will be done “as soon as possible”, but without a deadline. As to whether it will necessarily be a person or if it could be an artistic committee, Mr.me Shooner dismisses the committee idea, but hinted that the options on the table are those of a single art director or two-headed direction.
A silver platter
“The faster the better,” says Walter Boudreau, who recalls that the chosen one must be a composer, with or without the talents of a conductor. Provident, he admits to having “prepared the next three seasons”. “The next direction is going to have this on a silver platter and I am available for the transfer of powers. “
Walter Boudreau’s main objects of pride are the youth sector of the SMCQ, very fruitful in his eyes, the “Tribute Series”, which puts the spotlight on a composer for one season, and especially the creation of the Montreal / New Music Festival.
“We were a wonderful restaurant on the edge of a freeway with no exit ramp to come and eat with us. I organized myself to have the exit ramps built, which opened up unexpected doors for us. The festival allows access to the international highway. “The SMCQ has thus built a real network:” We even went to China, and Denis Gougeon won a Grand Prix in Shanghai. Before, people used to say: “Oh yes, Quebeckers, you are good.” There, we can negotiate with them. “
Walter Boudreau’s reign was also marked by the creation of third-party, dissident organizations. A cohort of organizations came together in a group called Le Vivier. “There is not just one political party. This is how society is made, ”says Walter Boudreau. “I have a lot of reservations, because Le Vivier is in contradiction with its mandate. It is a kind of other contemporary music society. At the SMCQ we can do with the means we have. They fought to find money for things that we could do very well ”, adds Walter Boudreau, who continues:“ The SMCQ has been there since 1966 and is doing a damn good job. job. Le Vivier is currently struggling. I don’t have to comment on that. We only have to look at the track record of the SMCQ. I have fought for all these years so that we have more means to do more. “
The dream to pass on to his successor? Getting the OSMCQ back on its feet: “It lasted three years, it was so great. But it’s a question of money. If we had five times the budget we have, you have no idea what we would be cooking up! “
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