Montreal West Island, March 2025– Now in its 12th year curated by Artistic Director Kerry-Anne Kutz, Festival de la Voix celebrates the power of music and the human voice. The 2025 program offers afternoon and evening concerts for all ages along with master workshops, in various venues across the West Island of Montreal for a month of music, from April 4-27. The festival opens with a free show with singer Laura Anglade and guitarist Mike Bruzzese on April 4.
“For the past twelve years, the festival has offered professional musicians from all musical genres an opportunity to express their creativity and expertise in concerts and workshops. These artists enrich our audiences, foster a deep connection through music and the spoken word, and perpetuate a strong sense of belonging and well-being,” said Kutz.
Festival de la Voix audiences have an opportunity to meet artists after concerts and share their reflective feedback. Through this exchange, artists and audiences broaden their points of view and ideas, develop empathy, and sometimes make lasting, uplifting life changes.
This edition offers 8 eclectic, multi-artist concerts with over 50 diverse musicians and vocalists including singer-songwriters, choirs, jazz, big bands, East Indian fusion, opera, family sing-alongs, Celtic music, orchestras, First Nations songs, traditional Quebecois music, and vocal quartets; two exceptional workshops; and unique school shows
A full list of artists can be found here: www.festivaldelavoix.com/artists.
Every weekend in April, each concert offers a mix of musical groups and styles, giving audiences the opportunity to hear their favourite music as well as a chance to experience music that might be new to them. It all starts with Laura Anglade and guitarist Mike Bruzzese’s free concert on Friday night, April 4. Atikamekw First Nation artist Ivan Boivin-Flamand, dynamic singer and lead guitarist of the original Nikamu Mamuitun, returns to the festival to perform his own tunes with his band on Saturday afternoon April 5. Beautiful choral singing with VB8 in ‘Il était 8 fois’, performing music from the Renaissance to Robert Charlebois, is on Sunday afternoon April 6.
Swing, dance and sing with the Festival de la Voix BIG BAND, led by Ron di Lauro and featuring star vocalists Sharon Azrieli and David Marino on Saturday afternoon April 12. Singer-songwriterLavanya Narasiah and the Dharani Project blends East Indian melodies and rhythms with instruments from Haiti, Africa and Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon April 13, with exceptional young cellists of the Ensemble de violoncelles de Montréal opening the show.
Selina Ann & ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’, a morning of stories and music for children and parents presented by Selina Rooker-Sanchez, pianist Michael Woytiuk, trumpeter extraordinaire Michael Cartile,and singer-songwriter and Kerry-Anne Kutz, is on Saturday April 19.
The festival is thrilled to present soprano Bridget Esler, mezzo-soprano Justine Ledoux, counter-tenor Ian Sabourin and collaborator Jennifer Szeto in a showcase event, L’atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal,Saturday afternoon April 26. Closing this year’s festival on Sunday afternoon April 27 is the female vocal quartet Musaïque with their show ‘Pour l’amour de la musique’. These last two concerts are highlights for Artistic Director Kutz, “I’m excited about hearing these excellent emerging Quebec opera singers. I’m also thrilled to be singing great Canadian and Quebecois music with three wonderful friends and singers, Monique Fauteux, Julie Leblanc and Catherine Léveillé.”
Once again, Festival de la Voix presents concerts for elementary and secondary students featuring an eclectic line-up; many of the youth are newcomers to Canada. Open to the public for the April 1 evening concert only, Nikamu Mamuitun (Songs That Unite Us) brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous creativity with eight emerging First Nations and Quebecois singer-songwriter-instrumentalists for concerts of reconciliation to more than 1,000 high school students and teachers; other enriching school concerts are Musiquemosaïque and Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Concert Band.
Hard to pick just two, Kutz’s top choices for this year are the Festival de la Voix Big Band for lovers of the big band era and the treat of dancing the afternoon away, as well as the sensual voice and dancing of Lavanya Narasiah and her remarkable musicians from around the world.
Special workshops this year include Montreal folk singer Linda Morrison leading a Celtic Song Workshop on Saturday April 19; and Carolyn Christie, 2nd flutist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for 36 years, sharing valuable advice and reflection in her seminar, Let’s Talk about Performance Anxiety on April 26. Her personal experience is deeply helpful in facing one’s challenges with nerves on the concert stage.
Bringing a community of all ages and cultures together to celebrate the power and beauty of the voice
Festival de la Voix- 12th Edition, April 4-27, 2025
Opening concert free passes available through Pointe-Claire Stewart Hall
Information about concerts, artists/music clips, workshops and venues: festivaldelavoix.com
Various West Island venues
Tickets: $15-$34, including senior and student discounts; Concert passports also available
For information: (514) 758-3641 info@festivaldelavoix.com
About the festival: Vox Aeterna is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the human voice during its annual Festival de la Voix. It is also committed to facilitating people of all ages and from all socio-economic environments the ability to attend high-caliber, multicultural concerts and workshops featuring both established and emerging Quebecois, First Nations and Canadian artists and instrumentalists.
