The Montreal-based quartet ARCHITEK PERCUSSION creates artistic experiences that entertain, captivate, and challenge audiences, often simultaneously. Founded in 2012 by members of McGill University’s Percussion Studio, Architek is equally comfortable performing classic quartet repertoire and exploring new terrain through commissions and premieres, often using instrument batteries that extend far beyond the traditional arsenal of instruments associated with percussion. Architek regularly performs in Montreal, having partnered with Codes d’Acces, Innovations en Concert, Le Vivier, Suoni per Il Popolo, Montréal/Nouvelles Musiques, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum, and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT). In addition, the quartet has collaborated extensively with the Montreal Arts Council’s CAM En Tournée program, which presents free, accessible arts programming across the 19 boroughs and 15 independent municipalities that comprise the Island of Montreal.

Architek regularly concertizes and conducts educational outreach across Canada, collaborating with New Music Edmonton, the Winnipeg New Music Festival, The Cluster Festival of Music and Integrated Art (Winnipeg), Jeunesses Musicales Canada, Debut Atlantic, Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Music on Main (Vancouver), The University of Toronto New Music Festival, The Music Gallery (Toronto), New Music Concerts (Toronto), the Scotia Festival of Music (Halifax), and nearly all of Canada’s post-secondary music institutions. Architek’s international touring has taken them across Northern Europe in collaboration with the Ultima Festival (Oslo), NyMusikk Bergen, NTNU (Trondheim), Fylkingen (Stockholm), the Universities of Glasgow and Huddersfield (UK), Rainy Days Festival (Luxembourg), and the Royal College of Music (Stockholm).

Architek has commissioned and/or premiered over 60 works by composers from around the world. Several of these commissions have led to commercial recording projects, of which Architek appears on eight: Bookburners (Nicole Lizée / Centrediscs, 2014), A Boat Upon its Blood (Jason Sharp / Constellation Records, 2016), Metatron (Eliot Britton / Ambiances Magnétiques, 2017), Katana of Choice (Ben Reimer / Redshift Records, 2017), The Privacy of Domestic Life (Architek Percussion / Centrediscs, 2018), Six Changes (Architek Percussion 2022), Call Sign (Architek Percussion, 2022), and Apparitions vol. I (Olivier Alary / Line Imprints, 2023). Architek’s remarkably diverse artistic output is guided by the quartet’s belief that, given proper context, every audience member should feel welcomed, included, and challenged. Architek Percussion is Noam Bierstone, Ben Duinker, Alexander Haupt, and Alessandro Valiante.

Image by Julianna Schutz

Adventure, interdisciplinarity and, above all, a critical engagement with today’s world — often through the use of new technologies — lie at the heart of the Nadar Ensemble’s guiding principles. The ensemble takes its name and spirit from Gaspard-Félix “Nadar” Tournachon (1820–1910), the celebrated photographer, caricaturist, spy and art critic. Nadar was also known for hosting informal “salons” that brought together artists, thinkers, writers and scientists. In addition, he was a famed balloonist: in 1864 he launched from Brussels in his balloon, ‘Le Géant’, a mass spectacle at the time and the origin of the name of the surrounding fences.

Our 21st century is pluralistic, multi- and transmedial, and increasingly inhabited by digital natives and a networked generation. That is why the Nadar Ensemble is not only fascinated by contemporary music but also by film, visual arts, performance, theatre, installation art and everything that these categories encompass – or perhaps not. In this way, it aims to anchor new music more firmly in today’s world by developing alternative concert formats. These can range from walks and living room concerts to compositions with construction cranes or hot air balloons. 

Nadar has performed at the Darmstadt International Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, Donaueschinger Musiktage, Ultima Oslo, Musica Strasbourg, Platforma Moscow, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Holland Festival, San Martin Buenos Aires, reMusik Saint Petersburg, Tampere Biennale, Wien Modern, Gogolfest Kiev, Cité de la musique Paris, Harvard University Boston, MaerzMusik Berlin, Warsaw Autumn, etc.

Nadar is an artist in residence at DE SINGEL Antwerp and also maintains strong ties withConcertgebouw Brugge, Muziekcentrum De Bijloke Gent, CC Sint-Niklaas and Transit Festival Leuven. Nadar is based in Sint-Niklaas, where it organises its annual Summer Academy. Incidentally, this city is also famous for its annual festival for... hot air balloons.

Watch a Video of Nadars work here

Wannes Gonnissen is Nadar Ensemble’s technical coordinator, and has been part of the ensemble since 2012. On concert nights, sound is still his main job, but those who pay attention will often see him juggling lighting, video and live electronics too.

As a teenager in the ‘90s, he started experimenting with sound on a simple cassette 4-track, and recording himself as a one-man-band on several instruments. That curiosity eventually took a more formal shape at the Conservatory of Ghent, where he studied Music Production. A few years later, when already combining live sound withstudio work, he crossed paths with Nadar: after a recording with a few members of the ensemble, they invited him to do sound for what was meant to be a single concert. He never quite left.

Outside Nadar, Wannes still mixes bands in the pop and rock world, and he’ll insist that he doesn’t see much difference between that and contemporary classical - to him, it’s all just sound. At home, he’s often found scouring the internet for cool vintage gear, preferably defective, so he has an excuse to take it apart on his workbench. Sometimes he even puts it back together correctly

Why Dries Tack started playing the clarinet is still a mystery. Perhaps due to his parents’ attempt and effort to get him off from the streets. Nevertheless, Dries finally started his study at the conservatories of Brussels, Antwerp, and Tilburg. His fascination for noise and the pleasure of sharing ideas with the others guided him towards his love of chamber music in contemporary experimental music and the field of music theatre. As a clarinet and object player, he enjoys playing with Ensemble Nadar, the Curious Chamber Players and the trio Lambda. Dries is also one of the core members of the chamber music collective ‘Glow’. As a passionate teacher, he teaches at music academies of Vilvoorde, Schaarbeek, and Grimbergen. For the moment, Dries loves running and tries to bake his own bread. It is not edible yet.

As sounds of all sorts trigger Katrien’s brain, she is constantly looking for a new sound world, whether it is through contemporary music or old music on period instruments. Katrien studied the flute and baroque flute in Ghent, Brussels and Strasbourg, with maestros Carlos Bruneel and Mario Caroli. During her studies she was inspired by master classes and summer courses like the Lucerne Festival Academy with Pierre Boulez, the Ictus Studio and Centre Acanthes Metz. She is a founding member of Nadar Ensemble and co-artistic director of Glow Collective and shares the love for her instruments, teaching the flute and baroque flute. Growing up at the seaside, she loves long walks on the beach and fighting the waves. Breathing is as important while playing the flute as on her yoga mat, as an irregular yogi and breathwork coach. She never forgets to remind her friends to keep on breathing.

Having failed to become the first Belgian basketball player in the NBA, Pieter Matthynssens instead graduated as an art historian from the University of Ghent where he cherishes fond memories of Gerard Mortier’s lessons and his love for the work of Stanley Kubrick. Curator Stef Van Bellingen introduced him to the art world and played a crucial role in shaping his view of art.

However, to avoid a midlife crisis, he went on to study cello at the conservatory of Ghent. Playing the cello didn’t satisfy him completely, though, which resulted in exploring the aesthetic possibilities of a whammy-pedal (Steen-Andersen), balloons (Maierhof), and wigs and gloves (Marino). It still didn’t suffice – come to think of it, what is this guy looking for, actually?!

He conducts an amateur orchestra in Sint-Niklaas, his birthplace. With these wonderful musicians, he premiered works by Vladimir Gorlinsky Jorge Sánchez-Chiong, Shalan Alhamwy and performed works by Iannis Xenakis, Dmitri Kourliandsky, Sofia Gubaidulina, Lars Petter-Hagen, Luc Brewaeys… With his partner-in-cello crime Benjamin Glorieux he performed the cello concerto by Friedrich Gulda. Both had the honour to share the stage with the legendary actress Viviane De Muynck and actor Johan Leysen.

Because the cello imposes certain linguistic limitations, he also gives frequent lectures and fiercely discusses music and the arts with Stefan Prins in the artistic board ofNadar, his favourite music ensemble. As guest professor, he teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. If somehow possible, he would like to die (an old man, of course) in Vienn.

Derek Arnold is a performance choreographer with 15 years of experience working across the film and television industry. His specialist expertise lies in puppetry, creature performance, and creature suit work, bringing unique characters and physical performances to life on screen.

Throughout his career, he has worked on some of the industry’s most ambitious productions, collaborating with performers, puppeteers, directors, and creative teams to develop distinctive and believable character movement and performance. Working hand in hand with the world of visual effects he often collaborates with the industry's leading supervisors and visual effects producers. 

His credits include Project Hail Mary, Digger, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Life, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Star Wars: Starfighter, Star Wars: Andor Seasons 1 & 2, Star Wars: Episodes VII, VIII & IX, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars Ahsoka Season 2. 

Praised by critics for his passionate expression and dazzling technique, pianist Andrew Armstrong has delighted audiences across Asia, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Canada, and the United States, including performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, Prague’s Dvorak Hall at the Ruldofinum, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, and Warsaw’s National Philharmonic. Andrew’s orchestral engagements across the globe have encompassed a vast repertoire of more than 60 concertos with orchestra as well as solo recitals and in chamber music concerts at festivals around the globe. This 2026-27 season, Andrew joins longtime friend and duo partner, two-time winning violinist James Ehnes, in a cross-country tour of Canada, playing in each capital, province, and territory. In Tuscany, Italy, Andrew curates and hosts an annual Chamber Music Festival bringing together great music with magical venues and unforgettable experiences. Back in the States, year-round, Andrew directs and hosts four thriving chamber music series. Three of them are in South Carolina – in Beaufort (USCB Chamber Music), in Columbia (SC Philharmonic’s Andy & Friends), and in Greenville (Andy & Friends, at Furman University). He also directs New Canaan Chamber Music in Connecticut.  Andrew resides in Worcester, MA, with his wife Esty and their three children Jack (20), Elise (15), and Gabriel (9).

James Ehnes has established himself as one of the most sought-after musicians on the international stage. Gifted with a rare combination of stunning virtuosity, serene lyricism and unfaltering musicality, Ehnes is a favourite guest at the world’s most celebrated concert halls. 

Recent and upcoming orchestral highlights include the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, WDR Sinfonieorchester, Wiener Symphoniker, London Philharmonic Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Cleveland Orchestra. 

A devoted chamber musician, Ehnes is the Artistic Director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society and the leader of the Ehnes Quartet. As a recitalist, he performs regularly at Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Symphony Center Chicago, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Verbier Festival, Dresden Music Festival and Festival de Pâques in Aix.

During the 26/27 season, Ehnes will conclude his 50th birthday recital tour in his native Canada. The tour began during the 25/26 season with performances in every province and territory. In the spring, he will embark on a four-week tour in Asia, performing with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Ehnes has an extensive discography and has won many awards for his recordings, including two Grammys, three Gramophone Awards and twelve Juno Awards, the most of any classical musician in history. In 2021, Ehnes was announced as the recipient of the coveted Artist of the Year award at the 2021 Gramophone Awards which celebrated his recent contributions to the recording industry, including the launch of a new online recital series entitled ‘Recitals from Home’ which was released in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent closure of concert halls. Ehnes recorded the six Bach Sonatas and Partitas and six Sonatas of Ysaÿe from his home with state-of-the-art recording equipment and released six episodes over the period of two months. These recordings have been met with great critical acclaim by audiences worldwide and Ehnes was described by Le Devoir as being "at the absolute forefront of the streaming evolution".

Ehnes began violin studies at the age of five, became a protégé of the noted Canadian violinist Francis Chaplin aged nine, and made his orchestral debut with L’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal aged 13. He continued his studies with Sally Thomas at the Meadowmount School of Music and The Juilliard School, winning the Peter Mennin Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music upon his graduation in 1997. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and an honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, where he is a Visiting Professor. Since 2024, he has been Professor of Violin at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music