“We take lesson 10 of the method. In position! » says Hervé Treille, who has led the music program at the Saint-Luc school for 25 years.
Posted at 5:00 am.
At the Montreal School Service Center, three public secondary schools offer a music studies program. However, the Saint-Luc school in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district is the only one that makes it accessible to everyone. “There is no selection, no audition, no musical requirements,” emphasizes Mr. Treille.
With a few exceptions – including the addition of a harpist this year – the program consists of 200 string students and 300 wind students.
A large part of the class has never played or played almost nothing at all, like Racim Djenane, who came to Montreal from his native Algeria six years ago and hardly played the flute in elementary school.
The program gave him a real calling to become a violist. Next year he will study in Vincent-d'Indy. “Later I would like to be part of the Orchester Métropolitain. »
Music as an integration factor
Some, like a young Ukrainian violinist and a young Mexican double bassist – both of whom immigrated a year ago – on the contrary, came to the Saint Luc school with a solid musical background.
Aren't you a little bored among many beginners? They assure us that regardless of the level, they feel privileged to be part of an orchestra.
“Their musical knowledge, which enables them to help others, was an integration factor for them,” believes Treille, noting that a Ukrainian troika will be present at the next Christmas concert.
Everyone has their own instrument. Violinists and cellists bring their instruments home, while the school lends double basses to older students at home.
The pedagogical approach is that of collective music practice.
The focus of the program is the fun of playing. It takes into account the pace of each student. Those with greater interest and potential will be given special attention to be able to occupy the first chairs and play solo scores.
Hervé Treille, who has led the music program at the Saint-Luc school for 25 years
Class teachers – including a harp teacher this year – also come from outside almost every week to work with the students.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Skander Aïssa believes that playing the violin “relaxes the brain”. “I didn't know how to read notes, I thought it would be difficult, but I actually learned quickly. »
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Dariia Lezhnina immigrated from Ukraine a year ago and took violin lessons for seven years. “I’d love to come over for dinner. My friends asked me to help them, we practiced together. I like it, I always have fun playing. »
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
“My family is hot, we actually moved here so that Saint-Luc would be my neighborhood school and I could enroll in the music program,” says Agathe Chabot, who has been playing double bass for nine years. She was made aware of it by the community organization Le garage à musique in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
“My passion for the violin was born here at the Saint Luc School,” says Racim Djenane, who was born in Algeria and came here at the age of six. He wants to become a professional musician.
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A fragmented repertoire
On the walls of the rooms, photos of Christmas and year-end performances reflect the shared joy of music in a very extensive repertoire.
There was this program with music from Japanese films by Joe Hisaishi, with excerpts from cartoons projected backstage. At other concerts it was “The Wall” by Pink Floyd (official student rebellion anthem of all time) or an orchestral suite of songs from Quebec (Gilles Vigneault, Claude Léveillée, Harmonium, Beau Dommage, Jean Leloup, etc.).
Last year the Reception class joined the orchestra to learn the song 'We Write on the Walls' in a choir and string version. “Some students didn’t speak a word of French,” says Mr. Treille. We taught them the song word for word, with the correct pronunciation. »
The show last June was particularly moving. It was the last end-of-year show for Mr. Treille, who is retiring in December, a long-planned farewell so as not to disrupt students in any way.
“Several former students came to attend the last concert conducted by Hervé. Some alumni even played in the orchestra. “Everyone had tears in their eyes,” says Mariane Charlebois-Deschamps, music teacher.
A guaranteed successor
Minutes have passed, the secondary school 3 students have just entered class. Ms. Charlebois-Deschamps goes to the desk to give them instructions.
“Very nice crescendo! ” she tells them during rehearsals of Kirt Mosier's Tango Traicionero.
“Look at them! The next generation is secured,” whispers Mr. Treille in an interview.
Then, as he listened to the students, he added, “When they play, they act real!” »
Hervé Treille says he is impressed by the musical level of these students, who have only been making music since secondary school. He says it without anyone suspecting that he wants to make it his own.
He's more of a guy who insists that we mention that it was Robert Jodoin who founded the music program some fifty years ago.
Mariane Charlebois-Deschamps is also surprised by the talent and attitude of the young people. “They are friendly, respectful and hard-working. »
Their music is beautiful but very secondary to their teachers, we understand that, especially when Mr. Treille reveals that he hates assessments that are obviously far from his priorities.
What is important to him “is conveying the values behind the orchestra: personal development, respect, democracy, solidarity, commitment and autonomy”.