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Sixtrum's excellent end to 2017

Sixtrum Percussion Ensemble, cred: Hugo B LeFort
Published: 19 December 2017

Since their founding in 2006, the percussion ensemble Sixtrum has been striving for “excellence and the thrill of discovery in aims to become a reference in the percussion world of tomorrow.” Made up of six virtuosic and multi-talented performers, Noam Bierstone (current Schulich DMus student in percussion), Joao Catalao, Julien Grégoire, Philip Hornsey, Kristie Ibrahim (Part-time Instructor at the Schulich School of Music) and Fabrice Marandola (Percussion Area Chair and Professor at the Schulich School of Music), the ensemble has played for over 45 000 spectators and has put on more than 330 concerts and shows.

Their latest successes include a “Coup de coeur - musique contemporaine 2017”, awarded by the Charles Cros Académie, for their latest CD “De la percussion”; a CD dedicated to Schulich Professor Philippe Leroux’s works for percussion. The same disc has also been nominated for a Prix Opus (Conseil Québécois de la musique) in the category “Disque de l’année – Musique moderne, contemporaine”, with results to be announced in February 2018. Also nominated for a Prix Opus in the category “Création de l’année” was their performance of a new work by Pierre Michaud titled Enso in September 2016.

Currently making waves in the world of theatre, Sixtrum received the Montreal English Theatre Award (META) for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre for their live soundtrack to Angélique in October 2017. The production also netted the award for outstanding Professional Association of Canadian Theatres production, one of the most prestigious awards of the evening.
 
Outside of the ensemble, individual members are being recognized for their musical contributions. Co-founder and Schulich Professor Fabrice Marandola was recently featured as a soloist on a recording dedicated to Bruno Giner, a recording which was awarded a “Coup de coeur - musique contemporaine 2017”.
 
With 2017 coming to an end, we look forward to seeing what is in store for Sixtrum in 2018! Click here to see their calendar for the upcoming year and experience the wonders of contemporary percussion yourself.

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