Artists // Claire Marchand

After ten years of piano, Claire Marchand took up the flute at the age of sixteen with the Canadian flutist Lawrence Beauregard. The following year, she entered the Conservatoire de musique du Québec with Gail Grimstead where she graduated in flute and chamber music. At the same time, she studied both choir and orchestra conducting at the University of Ottawa.

Claire Marchand studied with flutist Patrick Gallois in Paris, as well as with Pierre-Yves Artaud, with whom she received Premiers Prix by unanimous decision in flute and chamber music. She also participated in masterclasses with Alain Marion, Andràs Adorjan and Aurèle Nicolet. She was awarded a grant from the Québec Arts Council, to study contemporary music with Robert Dick in New York. She is also a grant holder from the Canada and the Québec councils for the arts.

Claire Marchand has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada as well as a soloist with the many orchestras. Very interested in New Music, she has premièred many contemporary pieces for flute, among which some were dedicated to her. She was invited to perform as a soloist at the prestigious contemporary music festival “Ars Musica” in Belgium and has given many recitals world wide, including Canada, United States, France and Asia. During a six month sojourn in Tokyo, she was introduced to the techniques of the shakuhashi flute.

Claire Marchand’s solo performances can often be heard on Radio-Canada; she teaches at the McGill Conservatory in Montréal and was also a guest teacher at Holy Cross College in Worcester (Boston) for more than two years. She is a member of the Kore Ensemble in Montréal, dedicated to contemporary music.

A 20th century works solo recording is available on Atma classique label; At the Prix Opus 1999, this CD was nominated for the for “Best recording of the year,” and a piece for flute and electronics she commissioned was nominated for “Creation of the year.”

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Claire Marchand
Thetford Mines, Québec, 1960
Residence: Montréal, Québec
  • Performer (flute)

Related Ensemble

  • Totem contemporain