This past November, we wrapped up a two-year journey with Montreal’s experimental music ensembles Bakarlari and ILÉA through Émanants—a project that brought new life to the deconsecrated chapel of La Cité-des-Hospitalières. Once home to the Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph, a cloistered order dedicated to healthcare, the space carries a deep history. With its soaring ceilings, long reverberation, and multi-level gallery layout, it was the perfect playground for sonic experimentation. We leaned into the acoustics and architecture, creating site-specific works that felt like they belonged to the space.
As part of this, I had the chance to rework a piece by Toronto-based composer Andrew Noseworthy for modular synthesizer, performed beautifully by Pierre-Luc Lecours. The sound just melted into the chapel’s natural resonance, making for a really special moment. A video is on the way—can’t wait to share it!