Avi Avital reinvents
the classical mandolin

The mandolin virtuoso joins I Musici de Montréal orchestra to transform the classical concert tradition

July 8, 2026 • Sponsored article

On July 12, I Musici de Montréal will join forces with one of the most electrifying artists of his generation: mandolinist Avi Avital. Together, they will offer a unique encounter between a refined Montreal chamber orchestra and an international mandolin star, set in the lush surroundings of the Fernand‑Lindsay Amphitheatre in Joliette, at the Festival de Lanaudière. It is precisely the kind of event that only a major festival can make possible: an alchemy of virtuosity, musical curiosity and shared pleasure.

Celebrated on the world’s great stages for his virtuosity, Avi Avital has played a major role in reinventing the mandolin’s role in classical music.

Celebrated on the world’s great stages for his virtuosity, Avi Avital has played a major role in reinventing the mandolin’s role in classical music. Long relegated to folk traditions or a handful of baroque pages, the mandolin becomes, in his hands, a fully fledged solo voice, capable of singing, whispering, dancing and projecting expressive power comparable to that of the violin or piano. His playing is distinguished by razor‑sharp articulation, infectious rhythmic energy and a palette of colours that goes far beyond the usual clichés associated with the instrument.

For audiences in Montreal and Lanaudière, his visit is an opportunity to experience this work of re‑reading the repertoire live and to open up a new territory for the mandolin. It is also a way to measure just how an instrument rarely heard in major halls can, in a single evening, take on the role of true narrator of an entire program.

I Musici de Montréal, ideal partners

Founded in 1983, I Musici de Montréal has carved out a distinctive place on the Quebec musical scene: a chamber orchestra able to move with ease from baroque to contemporary works, from big urban stages to open‑air festivals. Alongside Avi Avital, the musicians of I Musici will deploy all their finesse of listening and playing to support a mandolin that is anything but a simple decorative touch. Here, the orchestra becomes a dialogue partner, a setting, sometimes a counterpoint.

‘The program reads like a genuine stylistic journey, from flamboyant baroque to folkloric impulses, ending with a dazzling finale in Spanish colours.’

This collaboration promises a particularly engaging stage dynamic: a soloist with strong charisma, but long accustomed to working with chamber ensembles, and an orchestra well‑versed in the art of flexible, inspired accompaniment. We can expect an evening in which virtuosity is never gratuitous but always in the service of musical storytelling.

A program shaped as a journey

The program reads like a true stylistic journey, from flamboyant baroque to folkloric impulses, culminating in a dazzling finale in Spanish colours, and is structured around three main pillars:

Baroque gems — Bach, Vivaldi and Paisiello
The baroque repertoire is a perfect playground for the mandolin, with its clear lines, tight dialogues and dramatic contrasts. Transcribing or adapting Bach and Vivaldi for mandolin allows listeners to rediscover familiar works in a new light: phrases seem more finely chiselled, ornaments take on a new texture, and the relationship between soloist and orchestra is transformed. Paisiello, for his part, brings a touch of graceful elegance, closer to opera buffa, which highlights the instrument’s vocal character.

Folkloric impulses — Bartók and the Georgian tradition
Bartók’s *Romanian Folk Dances* and the miniatures inspired by the Georgian tradition open another chapter: that of popular roots transposed to the stage. With its clear timbre and rhythmic flexibility, the mandolin is perfectly suited to the syncopations, melismas and modal colours of these musics. We hear, in turn, the village celebration, the melancholy of ancient tunes, and the tension of asymmetrical rhythms. This section of the program showcases Avital’s ability to bring to life repertoires where the energy of gesture is as important as the precision of pitch.

Dazzling finale — Manuel de Falla’s Spanish Dance
To close, Manuel de Falla’s Spanish Dance adds a touch of theatrical flamboyance. Here, the mandolin is almost guitar, almost voice, embracing the inflections of Iberian music, its interplay of light and shadow, its passionate surges. It promises a finale as virtuosic as it is warm, like a festive salute to the audience at the end of the journey.

A concert not to be missed

What is striking in this program is its ability to reconcile two often opposing demands: rigor and celebration. On the side of rigor, we find careful repertoire choices, high‑quality arrangements and the precision expected in baroque playing. On the side of celebration, the place given to folk dances, colouristic writing and jubilant virtuosity prevents the concert from ever freezing into academic seriousness.

‘With their sense of phrasing and rhythm, I Musici de Montréal are ideal partners to sustain this ongoing movement between contemplation and celebration.’

In a single afternoon, the mandolin sings, dances, laughs and weeps by turns. It traverses centuries and geographies, reminding us that the boundary between “art music” and “popular music” is often more porous than we think. With their sense of phrasing and rhythm, I Musici de Montréal are ideal partners to sustain this ongoing movement between contemplation and celebration.

For music lovers in Montreal and readers of WestmountMag.ca, this concert by Avi Avital with I Musici de Montréal at the Festival de Lanaudière stands out as one of the highlights of the 2026 summer season. Between open sky, forest and the carefully crafted acoustics of the Fernand‑Lindsay Amphitheatre, the musical experience is also an experience of place.

Whether you are curious to discover the classical mandolin for the first time or already captivated by this instrument, this rendezvous offers a rare chance to hear it at the heart of an intense dialogue with a top‑tier Montreal chamber orchestra.

Avi Avital and I Musici de Montréal

Fernand‑Lindsay Amphitheatre — Festival de Lanaudière
Sunday, July 12, 2026, 4 pm
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Featured image: courtesy of I Musici de Montréal

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