Denis Gougeon

Gougeon, Denis

 Denis Gougeon. Composer, teacher, b Granby, Que, 16 Nov 1951; B MUS musicology (Montreal) 1975, B MUS composition (Montreal) 1978, M MUS composition (Montreal) 1980. He taught himself music theory and guitar at 15 and subsequently obtained diplomas in musicology and guitar at the École Vincent-d'Indy. Attracted to composition, he attended private composition courses with André Prévost and completed his training with Serge Garant. In 1977 he won the CLComp prize, in 1980 a second prize at the CBC National Competition for Young Composers, and in 1981 the William St Clair Low Award/Fellowship awarded by CAPAC. His works have mainly been written on commission, including Dialogues for the percussionist Marie-Josée Simard, Ludus for the ensemble Répercussion, Argile for the Vancouver New Music Society, Éternité for his wife, the soprano Marie-Danielle Parent, and the Orchestre métropolitain, Heureux qui, comme... for the SMCQ and Jardin secret for the MSO. Gougeon taught at the University of Montreal (1985-8) and was guest professor of composition at McGill University (1986-7), and was a member of Événements du neuf (1982-90). In January 1989 he was named composer-in-residence for the MSO. As a member of the Groupe des sisses with Walter Boudreau, Michel-Georges Brégent, Michel Gonneville, Alain Lalonde, and John Rea, he has participated in collective works such as La Folia (1984) and Musique des jardins sans complexe (1987). The latter was used as the basis for a short film Fanfares (Rhombus Media 1988) which gives a portrait of these composers. As a composer-in-residence with the COC he wrote the chamber opera An Expensive Embarrassment, which was premiered in May 1989.

Gougeon describes himself as an 'intuitive' composer who wishes to touch the listener emotionally; he admits to being influenced by the music of Claude Vivier and by the instrumental researches of 20th century French music. He is a member of the CLComp and an associate of the Canadian Music Centre.

Selected Compositions

Stage
Argile, multi-media. 1983. 4 clarinet, 2 trumpet, contrabassoon, double-bass, percussion, mime. Ms

An Expensive Embarrassment, chamber opera. 1989. Ms

Orchestra

Le Jardin mystérieux. 1984. Sm orch. Ms

A l'aventure. 1990. Large orch. Ms. CBC SMCD-5106 (Orch métropolitain)

Soloist(s) and Orchestra

Dialogues. 1981. Mar, orch. Ms

Le Choral des anges. 1984. Pf, orch. Ms

Éternité. 1985. Sop, large orch, tape. Ms

Musique en mémoire. 1985. 2 soprano, orch. Ms

Heureux qui, comme ... 1987. Sop, piccolo, english horn, bar saxophone, string quintet, percussion. Ms

Jardin secret. 1990. Eng horn, large orch. Ms

Chamber

Ludus. 1980. 4 percussion. Ms

Chants de la nuit. 1982. 3 guitar, harp. Ms

Lettre à un ami. 1986. Fl (piccolo), english horn, violin, violoncello, piano, synthesizer, percussion. Ms. RCI 655 (SMCQ)

L'Oiseau blessé. 1987. Fl. Dob-Yppan 1988. RCI 650 (L. Daoust)

10 Millions d'anges. 1988. Ondes M, string quintet, percussion. Ms

Voice

Prophétie 2. 1980. V, percussion. Dob-Yppan 1986. RCI 569 (B. Johnston)

Voix intimes. 1981. 2 soprano, 4 clarinet, percussion. Centrediscs CMC-2085 (M.-D. Parent)

Trois Songes. 1983. Sop, 2 piano, tape. Ms

Keyboard

Plaisir d'amour. 1983. Pf. Ms

Rondeaujourd'hui. 1985. Hpd. Ms