In Félix’s Shoes – Pierre Rancourt
An intriguing encounter between cultures, built around the work of Félix Leclerc. This contemporary musical tale tells the story of a musician who becomes an outreach facilitator in secondary school integration classrooms. Gradually, through contact with young people from all over the world whose life stories are deeply moving, Félix’s music becomes a reflection of complicity, respect, and friendship that transcends borders.
ARTISTS
Pierre Rancourt, voice, guitar, jaw harp, foot percussion
Chantal Bergeron, violin, mandolin, accordion
Andrew Wells-Oberegger, oud, hulusi, percussion
Francis Palma-Pelletier, double bass
A preview of the programme*
Moi mes souliers
Le petit bonheur
L’hymne au printemps
Bozo
Arrangements by : Chantal Bergeron, Francis Palma-Pelletier, Pierre Rancourt et Andrew Wells-Oberegger
BIOGRAPHIES
Pierre Rancourt
Singer, guitarist, producer, and creative director, Pierre Rancourt has built a varied and unconventional career over the past twenty years, moving fluidly between opera and recital stages, music education workshops, musical theatre, and recording projects, all within a vibrant blend of musical styles.
A regular collaborator with Opéra de Montréal, he brings his interpretive skills together with solid field experience in arts-based social engagement. He is also invited by the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music as a trainer in cultural mediation. Rancourt is co-founder, general director, and artistic director of Le Volier, an organization that uses music as a tool for intercultural dialogue.
Chantal Bergeron
Chantal studied violin with Jean‑François Rivest and Anne Robert. Over the course of her career, she has expanded her musical universe by exploring a variety of genres, including tango and popular music, while also developing an interest in other instruments such as the mandolin, guitar, and accordion, all while remaining deeply connected to the violin and the classical repertoire.
A sought-after studio musician, she has contributed to numerous soundtracks for film, television, and circus productions, as well as to more than one hundred albums. Her collaborations include artists such as Ginette Reno, Ariane Moffatt, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Klô Pelgag, and Pierre Lapointe, among many others. Since 2020, she has performed regularly across Canada, the United States, and Europe with the project Flore Laurentienne.
Francis Palma-Pelletier
Francis is a Montreal-based double bassist of Québécois and Spanish heritage. He completed a bachelor’s degree in performance at McGill University, as well as a music teaching certification at Université du Québec à Montréal, before pursuing advanced specialized studies in early music in Basel, Switzerland.
A member of Arion Baroque Orchestra, he also created his own project, Duo Contracello (double bass and cello). He collaborates with modern orchestras and early music ensembles in Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. In addition to his career as a musician, he teaches music and French in multicultural communities. The Félix project therefore brings together his passions for music and the French language.
Andrew Wells-Oberegger
Andrew is a composer, arranger, music director, and multi-instrumentalist. Professionally active in the fields of early and world music for more than twenty years, he is recognized for his exceptional command of an impressive range of instruments, including the classical guitar, Renaissance lute, oud, bagpipes, saz, mandolin, bouzouki, santoor, daff, req, and Italian tamburello. His work is grounded in strong academic training as well as in the exploration of musical traditions from here and abroad under the guidance of master musicians.
A seasoned performer both on stage and in the studio, he can be heard on more than twenty albums with various ensembles, including La Nef, La Mandragore, ESEM, Cercamon, De Lònga, and La Strada. Many of the projects bearing his signature have also received nominations at the ADISQ Gala, the Prix Opus, and the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Le Volier is an arts organization that produces performances and workshops using music, poetry, and song to create experiences of intercultural dialogue for audiences, grounded in the principles of identity affirmation, social inclusion, and education.
* JMC reserves the right to modify the repertoire without prior notice.
