There are people who can play guitar, and then there are people who can “play” guitar, but neither come close to the Canadian Guitar Quartet.
With unique arrangements to well-known classical hits, as well as a few of their compositions, the group is known to be one of Canada’s finest — and on Jan. 31 they’re bringing their latest tour to the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.
The Canadian Guitar Quartet is made up of four of Canada’s finest and most accomplished guitarists: Julien Bisallon, Renaud Côté-Giguère, Bruno Roussel, and Louis Trépanier.
Bisallon graduated with a doctorate in guitar performance from the University of Montréal at the age of 24. Côté-Giguère is working on a doctorate at the University of Montréal and has also studied at the Conservatory of Montréal and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Roussel received his masters from the Yale School of Music and has won the Guitare-Drummond competition, the Canadian Music Competition, and Yale’s Eliot Fisk Prize. Trépanier works as the coordinator of the Guitar Sector at the University of Ottawa School of Music, studied at the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec à Hull, and can be heard on CBC Radio and Radio-Canada.
The four joined together in 1999 and in their nearly two decade long career have performed internationally and on a variety of media including CBC, Radio-Canada, and Bravo! Television. They’ve recorded three albums and are currently touring through 29 communities in Western Canada, performing a large repertoire including both classic and original arrangements.
Along with music by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Brahms, the Quartet will also perform “Fille de Cuivre,” composed by their own Renaud Côté-Giguère and inspired by Québecois sculpter Joen-Lous Émond.
The Canadian Guitar Quartet is coming to the Chilliwack Cultural Centre on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $35/adults, $32/seniors, and $30/youth, and can be purchased at the Centre Box Office, online at www.chilliwackculturalcentre.ca, or by calling 604-391-SHOW(7469).