The Canadian viola da gamba, cello and recorder player, Mélisande Corriveau, obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in recorder from
the Faculty of Music at Université de Montréal (UdeM), in the class of Francis Colpron;
and her Master of Music degree in viola da gamba from the same institure under Margaret Little.
She also studied modern cello with Denis Brott at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal (CMM), and
perfected with Susie Napper. In 2014, she received a Doctoral degree from University of Montreal in the study of the smallest member of the viol family, the pardessus de viole, of which she now is one of the few specialists.
Mélisande Corriveau is devotee of Renaissance and Baroque music, enthusiast of historic instruments. Player of recorders, cello, all viols including the pardessus de viol, she has become a virtuoso at l�Art de toucher, as
François Couperin put it, on her bevy of instruments. She hunts for new repertoire, is inspired by treatises and takes a keen interest in the historic context of music in society and the musical languages the societies created. Her next conquest is to be the violoncello piccolo!
Mélisande Corriveau has performed locally and internationally with well-known groups such as
Les Voix humaines, the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal,
Les Idées heureuses (Director:
Geneviève Soly), Les Boréades,
Les Voix Baroques, Montréal Baroque (Director:
Eric Milnes), La Chapelle de Montréal,
Ensemble Masques (of which she is a regular member; Director:
Olivier Fortin), Capriccio Stravagante (Paris),
Ensemble Caprice (Director: Matthias Maute),
Theatre of Early Music (Director: Daniel Taylor) and Sonate 1704. She performed for the 2003 and 2004 editions of Festival Montréal Baroque.
Playing with her inspiring colleagues with whom she shares so much extraordinary music, musical cameraderie and close friendship, is at the heart of her musical life! She feels privileged to work with her companion and duo partner, musical director and keyboardist,
Eric Milnes, her consort partners in Les Voix humaines, her group L'Harmonie des Saisons and her European colleagues in
Ensemble Masques, all giving her the gift of ongoing fascinating projects and travel to exotic lands, a nomadic life that reflects the music she loves!
An alert and sensitive musician, Mélisande Corriveau plays with intelligence and enthusiasm, sharing her passion of music with her appreciative audience.
Mélisande Corriveau is constantly in demand for performances, tours, and recordings in North America and Europe. Her discography numbers over 50 titles on the Alpha, Paradizo, Zig-Zag Territoire, Analekta and ATMA Classique labels, including Pardessus de viole and Marin Marais: Badinages in duo with harpsichordist
Eric Milnes, which have been the recipient of Opus Prizes, Top 10 CBC Radio, CD of the year Radio-Canada and Apple Music Top 10. Her
her recent CD of French 18th century music, "Pardessus de viole" with
Eric Milnes was included in the CBC�s top ten while her ensemble L�Harmonie des Saisons was winner of a Juno award in 2016
for their CD release "Las Ciudades de Oro" (ATMA Classique).
Mélisande Corriveau plays on a 1691 Barak Norman viol, a Nathaniel Cross cello from 1700, and a pardessus de viole by Pierre Le Pilleur dated 1755. |