Anne-Julie Caron
Marimba Soloist Quebec City - Canada

Overview

Canadian percussionist Anne-Julie Caron distinguishes herself with her sensational performances that astonish with their deepness, colors and sensitivity.

Le Soleil wrote: " An evocative moment, profound and dreamlike (…) Anne-Julie Caron demonstrated that the expressive possibilities of the marimba can easily equal those of the violin (…) The clear phrases, dynamic variety and in general, the intelligence and sensibility of the interpreter, captivated the audience attention still more. "

She brilliantly performed in solo recitals as well as with orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Quebec Symphony Orchestra. The Gazette wrote: " Anne-Julie Caron played with complete technical authority and more…Of Caron's star potential
(…) there can be no doubt . "

Mainly recognized as a marimba soloist, Anne-Julie Caron has won the Opus Prize 2007 "Discovery of the year", the 2nd Prize and a recording contract with Classic Concert Records (Europe) at the International Marimba Competition Linz 2006 and two of the most prestigious Canadian competitions: The OSM Standard Life Competition 2005 (Montreal Symphony Orchestra) and the Prix d'Europe 2004.

Miss Caron's rapidly blooming career is causing her to be sought in Canada, United States, Mexico and more.
This season, she will take part into many concert series and festivals including PASIC, the biggest percussion international convention helding in United States where she is going to play a solo recital and take part in french leading percussionist and composer Emmanuel Séjourné's concert. She will be performing and giving masterclasses all through Canada and do three concerts with the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal where she will appear as a guest artist. A three weeks tour is also planned in the Prairies as well as a second recording.

Highlights of the past season included Anne-Julie's New-York Debut, Ideacity, an invitation as a guest artist at Cool drumming, Domaine Forget International Festival, Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Festival Vancouver, Indian River Festival (P-E-I) and more.

Hightlights 2005-2006 included an invitation at the Festival internacional de Marimbistas helding in Chiapas, Mexico and many solo appearances with orchestras or in prestigious festivals as well as several masterclasses including on at Indiana University (U.S.).

In the past, she appeared as a guest " showcase " artist and a concert with Emmanuel Séjourné at the Zeltsman Marimba Festival (U.S.) and has been the representative and spokesperson for a concert series at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur in Québec.

Anne-Julie Caron has won additional prestigious prizes and awards including the first place at the Trois-Rivières Symphony Competition in 2003 (Louis Charbonneau Prize), the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec concerto competition in 2002 and the Radio-Canada Concours Jeunes Artistes in 2001. This led to solo performances, radio broadcasts and subsequent re-invitations as a guest soloist. She was also chosen as " Lauréate de Québec " by Le Soleil and Radio-Canada. Additionally, Miss Caron has received several grants and scholarships from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and the Wilfrid-Pelletier Foundation for being the most outstanding student in the conservatories of the province of Québec.

Anne-Julie Caron began her musical studies in Québec at the age of four on the piano and continued for seven years until entering into the percussion class of Carol Lemieux at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec in 1994. In 2003, she graduated with Grand Distinction at the top of her class with a score of 99% on her final recital, the highest result given to a percussionist in the history of Québec conservatories. The following year she attended the Boston Conservatory where she studied in marimba performance with renowned soloist Nancy Zeltsman. She took private masteclasses with Bogdan Bacanu (Austria) and had the unique chance to work with Keiko Abe.

Miss Caron continues to be a part time percussionist for the Québec Symphony Orchestra.