CHAMBER MUSIC*

✚ Participants registered for the chamber music program will be assigned to one single group. A total of eight rehearsal sessions – 3 sessions on Saturday and Sunday, and two sessions on Monday – gives ensembles ample time to explore the nuances of their repertoire, refine their interpretive choices, and strengthen their cohesion as a group.

✚ Chamber musicians will have the opportunity to work closely with an experienced group of teachers, receiving guidance on ensemble playing, stylistic interpretation, and collaborative musicianship:

• Simon Aldrich, Principal Clarinet of the Orchestre Métropolitain and Assistant Professor of Music at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.
• Myriam Bernard, who holds a Doctorate in Piano Performance from the Université de Montréal and is an experienced collaborative pianist.
• Cellist David Ellis, a founding member of the Quatuor Saguenay and an active chamber musician who regularly collaborates with orchestras and ensembles across Canada.

*Please note that to participate in the chamber music program, it is mandatory to preregister – see details below.

CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA

✚ The choir and orchestra will be led by soprano, conductor, and vocal coach, Myriam Leblanc. With an active career in both early and contemporary repertoire, Myriam collaborates regularly with leading ensembles in Canada and Europe and is widely appreciated for her refined musicianship and thoughtful approach to text and vocal color.

RECORDER

✚ Recorder players will work closely with Francis Colpron, whose coaching emphasizes sound, articulation, and stylistic confidence in both solo and ensemble settings. A central figure in Canada’s early music scene, Francis is the founder and artistic director of Les Boréades de Montréal and has led projects ranging from Renaissance consort music to large-scale Baroque works.

CAMMAC is pleased to continue its partnership with the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (SMAM).

Four singers from the ensemble – Len Torrie (soprano), Isabella Cuminato (mezzo-soprano), Nils Brown (tenor), and Kevin Marimbu (bass) – will join the retreat as coaches and performers, offering participants a unique opportunity to work alongside members of Canada’s premier early music ensemble.

Through coached sectionals, targeted work on vocal technique and diction, and shared performances, participants will benefit from the expertise these accomplished artists bring to every session.

REPERTOIRE

The scores will be available at the beginning of the lessons.

CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA

The repertoire for choir and orchestra pairs a foundational work of the Baroque tradition with a contemporary choral piece, offering two distinct approaches to text and expression.

Cantata BWV 4, Christ lag in Todes Banden – Johann Sebastian Bach

One of Bach’s earliest cantatas, BWV 4 is based on the Lutheran chorale of the same name, with each movement deriving from the chorale melody. The work alternates between chorale-based movements and more elaborate contrapuntal writing. Several movements include duos or solo passages; participants who wish to do so may prepare these in advance.

Sure on This Shining Night – Morten Lauridsen

This short choral work sets a poem by James Agee and is characteristic of Lauridsen’s harmonic language: sustained lines and a transparent texture that encourages careful attention to blend, phrasing, and text.

RECORDER

Coming soon

BACH+ WEEKEND PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES

Please note that due to the level of difficulty of the repertoire, the BACH+ Weekend program is best suited to intermediate and advanced choristers and musicians.

MUSIC PROGRAM

• Chamber music
• Choir
• Orchestra
• Recorder class
• Active Listening
• Yoga

CONCERTS

• Teachers’ Concert
• Chamber Music and Recorder
  Concerts for Participants
• Choir and Orchestra
  Performance

CHAMBER MUSIC > MANDATORY PRE-REGISTRATION

IMPORTANT ➜ The deadline for chamber music pre-registrations is April 10, 2026. Late registrations for chamber music cannot be accommodated due to the extensive preparation required for group assignments and repertoire selection.

Chamber Music Program Requirements:

• Pre-registration is mandatory.
• Strings: only players of intermediate, intermediate plus or advanced level may be admitted to the program.
• Winds and piano: only players of intermediate plus or advanced level may be admitted to the program.
• Pre-formed groups are welcome.
• Individual participants will be matched with others at similar skill levels.
• Recorder, guitar, trombone, saxophone, trumpet, and singers are generally not admitted to the chamber music program except if they are part of a pre-formed group.

Registration Process:

• After you have made your program and lodging reservation, you will receive a link to complete the Part 2 registration form. You will be able to reserve your chamber music class at that time.
• After you have registered for chamber music, you will receive a link to download the chamber music form.
• Submit your completed chamber music form to musiquedechambre@cammac.ca by the end of April.
• The chamber music coordinator will assign groups and distribute repertoire after the registration deadline has passed.

BACH+ WEEKEND DIRECTORS & FACULTY

To find out more about our teachers, click their photos to read their bios.

RESERVE ONLINE:

If you don’t see the room you want when you book online, please contact customer service.

You may also make a reservation by phone, from Monday to Friday (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.):
819-687-3938 / 1-888-622-8755, ext. 25
Email: reservations@cammac.ca

BACH+ WEEKEND RATES AND CONDITIONS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

• Rates are in Canadian dollars.
• GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) are not included in the rates shown.
• The CAMMAC membership fee will be added to your invoice if your membership is not up to date for the selected stay.
• 50% of your total invoice, before taxes, will be charged to your credit card within 5 business days of your reservation.

• We reserve the right to adjust the invoice in the event of errors or omissions (for example, missing membership fees, incorrect meal plan selection, or incorrect music program selection). In such cases, a revised invoice will be sent to you.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

• More than 60 days before the arrival date:
  All cancellations (partial or full) will incur an administrative fee of $75.

• 60 days or fewer before the arrival date:
  Any full cancellation will incur fees equivalent to 50% of the total invoice amount, including taxes.
  Any partial cancellation will incur administrative fees equivalent to 50% of the difference, including taxes.

• Membership fees are not refundable.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR STAY:

Arrival: Friday May 15, 2025 at 4 p.m.
• Rooms will be available beginning at 4 p.m.
• Supper: 6 p.m.
• The program officially begins at 8 p.m.

Departure: Monday May 18, 2025 at 2 p.m.
• Rooms must be vacated by 9 a.m.

Meal Plans:
• Supper and an evening snack are included on Friday evening.
• Breakfast, 3 snacks, lunch, and supper are included on Saturday and Sunday.
• Breakfast, a morning snack, and lunch are included on Monday.

IMPORTANT: Please indicate dietary requirements and food allergies when you register.