Canot-camping, expéditions #5 et #6

About this event

The pretext for Canot-camping is a group outing: an introduction to the canoe trip. Here the music alternates between written themes, background music, and moments of total improvisation, which can include the theatricality that is needed to describe the different aspects of the trip. First, there is the setting (undergrowth, river, rapids, lakes); then the states (fear, danger); the parts of the day (sunrise and sunset); the elements (rain, wind); and finally the camping itself (setting up, building a fire, swimming). In order to communicate with the musicians and conduct this piece, Jean Derome had to develop a series of signals that he derived from both those used in improvisation and sign language. The overall visual and auditory effect is captivating. This work was created for Une exposition de musique (Montréal, 2000) and was also performed at the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (May 2000).