SMC’s 10th edition
goes “Beyond Borders”

An unprecedented and original sound odyssey offered free of charge to music lovers

The Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ) outlines the 10th edition of its Montreal/New Musics festival (MNM), to be held from February 18 to 28, 2021. The MNM festival is reinventing itself to offer an unprecedented online sound odyssey with the theme Au-delà des frontières (Beyond Borders). MNM 2021 will stand out for the global aspect that webcast now offers, and through its programming, tinged with openness and discovery.

The 10th edition of the Montreal/New Musics festival (MNM) will be held free of charge from February 18 to 28, 2021.

Thus for 10 days musical and artistic frontiers will open up to reveal new and unprecedented sounds with universal accents. “I have always wanted to program music without limits and without concessions. Right now, the re-opening of concert halls is still compromised, but we’ll certainly be able to present online concerts that will go over and above musical limits!” says Walter Boudreau, the festival’s Artistic Director, known for his willingness to go beyond conventional rules.

To illustrate his point, the opening concert by the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra – dubbed “The United Nations of music” by CBC radio – will preview a fantastic selection of its crossover music. And travelling beyond artistic and temporal boundaries, Ode à l’Infonie will immerse us in a transcendental era. Finally, Volumina, a major anniversary concert at the Maison symphonique (Place des Arts) will brilliantly celebrate the 10th MNM festival with major pieces from the contemporary repertoire and highlight the diversity of musical colors of our composers.

Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra – photo: Barbara Sudbrack

“The free presentation of the festival’s concerts seemed obvious with all the restrictions related to COVID. We want to offer the discovery of the lifeblood of contemporary music with this anniversary edition, almost a year after the start of the pandemic,” said Aïda Aoun, General Director of the SMCQ. “And to provide the keys to listening, there are a number of cultural outreach activities planned: video clips with the artists, presentation of works by George Nicholson.”

‘For 10 days, musical and artistic frontiers will open up to reveal new and unprecedented sounds with universal accents.’

Moreover, this edition will turn the spotlight on most of Montreal’s contemporary ensembles, including ECM+, Productions SuperMusique, Quasar Saxophone Quartet, thus spotlighting the immeasurable talent on the local scene.

The 10th edition of the Montreal/New Musics festival will be offered free of charge to music lovers. The Société de musique contemporaine (SMCQ) takes a trip back in time with its first 20-30 minute 12-episode podcast, SMCQ : l’histoire. The next episode will be released on January 21 on smcq.qc.ca, and all podcasting platforms.

About the festival

Produced by the SMCQ in the heart of Montreal’s winter, the MNM festival is an international biennial event focused for ten days on today’s music. MNM has made a name for itself as one of the largest contemporary music events in North America. The complete program will be available in February.

Feature image: Geneviève Bigué

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