Fédération des harmonies du Québec

Fédération des harmonies du Québec

Fédération des harmonies du Québec. The name adopted in 1979 by the Confédération des harmonies-fanfares du Québec which had been created in 1968 by the amalgamation of the Association and the Fédération des fanfares amateurs du Québec. In 1990 the number of amateur musicians playing in the federation's 90 member groups was estimated at 6000 and included both secondary school bands, semi-professional adult bands, and stage bands, to which were added individual memberships. The Fédération has a permanent secretariat in Montreal.

The Association des fanfares amateurs de la province de Québec grew out of the 50th anniversary of the Union musicale de Trois-Rivières in 1927. Many Quebec concert bands attended the festivities, and a few months later delegates from several bands founded the association. Bands from Trois-Rivières, St-Jean, St-Hyacinthe, Joliette, Drummondville, and Sherbrooke took part in a festival first held in Sherbrooke in 1929. From year to year various events were added to the annual festival; solo competitions began in Granby in 1950, followed by competitions for school bands begun in Thetford Mines in 1953 with five groups entered. The student competitions later expanded, adding wind ensembles (three to nine performers, junior and senior groups) and small dance orchestras (10 to 15 musicians). The festival is the main rallying activity of the Fédération; in 1989 it held its 60th festival in Sherbrooke, where the competition and performances attracted 6000 musicians and 4000 spectators.

The Éditions de la Fédération have published a method in 14 instalments entitled Au jeu. This series which comprises a teacher's manual and student workbooks, covers the various instruments found in a concert band. The Éditions also offers an inventory of pieces arranged for concert band in 1978 began to publish the bulletin Harmonie Québec. An archival collection is held at the ANQ in Trois-Rivières.

Before its integration into the Confédération in 1968, the Fédération des fanfares amateurs du Québec was an independent provincial organization of bands of the province's rural communities.