collectif9
RITUÆLS
January 29 & 30
8PM
Westbury Theatre (10330 84 Ave)
Rituæls is a grand artistic gesture bringing together works from the Middle Ages to the 21st century by Hildegard von Bingen, Arvo Pärt, Michael Tippett, Nicole Lizée, Bryce Dessner, and Jocelyn Morlock. Through music and movement, this programme reflects the intricacies of human connection, embracing the beautiful and painful of our coexistence. The use of continuous, at times motionless, sound ties each tableau to the next, creating a common thread that accompanies us through a succession of emotional phases: the spiritual, the intimate, the fragile, the dismayed, the grandiose, the humble, and many more. Throughout this journey, we follow the commanding performance of Stacey Désilier (dance) in an impassioned choreography; a supreme presence who embodies all of the above.
The music begins with a murmuring drone, from which the monodic chant of medieval composer Hildegard von Bingen slowly appears. From there, seamlessly into the music of Arvo Pärt before experiencing the serene, yet intensely detailed world of Nicole Lizée inspired by stop-motion animation, within which “the impossible becomes possible — souls emerge from where once there were none.” The journey between and beyond darkness and light guides us through the music of Bryce Dessner.
Michael Tippett’s Lament expresses grief using Purcell’s aria Ah! Belinda, during which a solo violin comments with a barely recognizable variation on an Irish popular tune of the Renaissance, while Jocelyn Morlock’s Exaudi, also an expression of grief, includes hope: “the music moves us from an inability to comprehend our loss to passionate cries of anguish, to acceptance and angelic reassurance.”
“It’s quite marvelous to discover something displaying genuine mastery, created with a deep understanding of the issues facing the audience.” - Barcza Blog
PROGRAMME (without intermission)
Drone (collectif9)
O vis æternitatis (Hildegard von Bingen, 12th century) A
Psalom (Arvo Pärt, 1985)
Another Living Soul (Nicole Lizée, 2016) A, B
Lament (Michael Tippett, 1952)
Aheym (Bryce Dessner, 2009) A
The Beatitudes (Arvo Pärt, 1990) A
Summa (Arvo Pärt, 1977)
Exaudi (Jocelyn Morlock, 2004) A
Tenebre (Bryce Dessner, 2011) A
A arrangement by Thibault Bertin-Maghit
B written for Kronos Performing Arts Association’s Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire
ON STAGE (2027.01)
collectif9
Chloé Chabanole, violin
TJ Skinner, violin
Cynthia Blanchon, viola
Andrea Stewart, cello
Thibault Bertin-Maghit, double bass
Matti Pulkki, accordion
Stacey Désilier, dance
OFF STAGE
Thibault Bertin-Maghit, artistic direction and staging
Andrea Stewart, associate direction
Stacey Désilier, choreography
Jordana Natale, lighting
Zachary Scholes, live sound
COLLECTIF9
Laureate at the 2025 JUNOS and Performer of the Year at the 2025 Prix Opus, Montreal-based string ensemble collectif9 is known for their innovative programming and approach to chamber music. The group aims to present classical music from a singular perspective, where new voices and interpretations are welcomed and encouraged, performing “with an infectious energy and vigour that grabs an audience’s attention” (The WholeNote). Since their 2011 debut, collectif9 has performed numerous concerts across North America, Europe, and Asia. Highlights include concerts in the Festival de Música de Morelia (Mexico), La Folle journée de Nantes (France), Festival de Lanaudière (Québec), Shenzhen Concert Hall (China), and Sound Unbound (Barbican Centre, London). Inspired by the processes of other artistic movements, collectif9 cultivates artistic partnerships with composers, video artists, poets, lighting designers, and other collaborators to bring their distinctive projects to life.
Rituæls (Analekta, 2024), their most recent album, received a Juno Award and an Opus Award and was a finalist at the Gala ADISQ. Released with European label Alpha Classics, the ensemble’s two previous albums (Vagues et ombres, No Time for Chamber Music) were nominated at the Juno Awards in 2022 and 2023. In addition to their albums, the group has released a series of three film-concerts, live performances filmed with a cinematographic approach, as well as a docu-concert (Ce qui nous lie, 2025) which reveals the group's creative process. In 2025, Thibault Bertin-Maghit was named Artistic Director of the Year at the Prix Opus for his work with the ensemble.