Pianist Andree-Ann Deschenes had been living in Los Angeles for a decade when the opportunity to take a contract as part of Algoma University’s music program was offered to her.
Hailing originally from Granby, Quebec, and having previously lived in Toronto and Montreal, Deschenes moved to the Sault in July 2021 to take the position at Algoma University.
“I originally moved here for a one-year contract at Algoma University, but they liked me enough to keep me a bit longer,” laughs Deschenes.
“I liked the idea of a small program with faculty coming from a variety of musical backgrounds.”
It is sometimes assumed that bigger programs at larger institutions can carry more prestige, but there was something special about the local university and the community that connected with Deschenes.
“There’s something really special about the relationships we are able to develop with our students in a smaller program,” she says.
“As a student, I’ve had the opportunity to attend both larger and smaller programs of study, and I always feel like I got much more out of it in an environment like the one we strive to create for our students here. I enjoy being able to be flexible with the kinds of music and repertoire we approach with our students and think outside the box.”
In addition to being an Assistant Professor in the Algoma University Music Program, she also is currently the Chair of the Music & Visual Art Department.
“I was really floored with how collaborative and enthusiastic the artistic community is in the Sault,” she says.
“I don’t know that I know much about the community at large, but it’s really refreshing to see people get excited about other artists’ projects … this is definitely not something that always happens in all communities, and I’m just always amazed at how supportive everyone is.”
In addition to her work in music education, Deschenes is a recording artist and performer.
She released her fourth album, The Ovalle Project in 2018 while still in Los Angeles.
The album is a collection of twenty-four opuses ranging from short melancholic to lengthy solo piano pieces.
“I presented The Ovalle Project in a lecture-concert format [in the Sault] in the Fall of 2021 when I first got here,” she said.
“This was right when we started to have events when we thought we were out of the pandemic, and literally the day before everything got shut down all over again.”
For her first show since then, Deschenes will be performing at The Loft on Sunday, May 7.
This planned show is expected to be something very special featuring original music that has never been performed publicly before.
“While I’m known to exaggerate a lot, this isn’t one of those instances,” laughs Deschenes.
“I think it’s going to be a pretty unique experience as no one has ever heard this music before. I’ve commissioned seven pianists to write music for me, and this will be the very first performance of this repertoire.”
Deschenes’ goal with the project was to work with mainly jazz pianists to write concert music.
“As it turns out, six out of seven writers are Brazilian, so there’s also definitely a bit of [Latin American influence] thrown in there too. My elevator pitch to them was to write music that combines many of the things I love about music in a fresh, modern piano piece.”
She says the writers really delivered, and those around her who have been privy to the project and the music got really excited.
“When I started mentioning the idea of commissioning composers and maybe doing a show and recording an album, it seems that some of the people around me got into it right away and wanted to help or be part of it.”
One such person was local filmmaker and documentarian Dan Nystedt, who has been documenting the process of this project through video.
“So there will also be a multimedia aspect to this [performance],” she says.
“I don’t want to say too much, but you’ll get to see and hear from the composers themselves as well. I’m really excited for people to hear this stuff. There are seven pieces in total and this will be split into two sets with an intermission. There’s something really exciting about playing music that I know will be entirely new to the audience, and seeing how they react, how they connect with it.”
Deschenes thinks The Loft’s size and atmosphere make the performances there special.
“The Loft is a great venue for this kind of performance,” she says.
“The smaller venue, aesthetic and the awesome team of people running the whole thing makes it a really special place to perform. I’m lucky enough to work in the building every day and I often get the chance to rehearse up in The Loft, so it almost feels like I’m inviting people over to my house.”
As for those new pieces, Deschenes says she is planning on recording and releasing them in the near future.
“I really enjoy the studio environment and the process of recording … I will be recording this repertoire at the end of June. So, the new album will be hopefully released towards the end of the year if all goes well and is essentially the music I will be presenting on May 7.
Presented by Algoma University Music Department and the Algoma Conservatory Concerts:
Andree-Ann Deschenes, Piano, Sunday, May 7, 2023.
Doors open at 7 p.m., show begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Loft (75 Huron Street).
Tickets are available here.
For more information on Andree-Ann Deschenes and her music, visit her website or Instagram pages.