André-Sébastien Savoie

Savoie, André-Sébastien

André-Sébastien Savoie. Pianist, accompanist, coach, teacher, b Montreal 25 Jul 1935. At first a pupil of Charles Reiner, André-Sébastien Savoie continued his studies 1952-8 at the McGill Conservatory. Winner of various competitions, and holder of scholarships from the Quebec government and the Canada Council, he worked 1958-62 with Carlos Vidusso in Milan, 1962-4 with Joseph Dichler at the Vienna Academy of Music, and with Geza Anda in Lucerne (summer 1968). After his return to Montreal, Savoie performed in numerous tours in Canada, the USA and in Africa, as well as on radio and TV. He was a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and accompanist and the guest of renowned ensembles such as the Moscow Wind Quintet. He premiered several Canadian works in recital and on recordings. In 1977 he was the soloist in a performance of André Mathieu's Concerto No. 3 ('Concerto de Québec') with the Tunis Orchestra under Raymond Dessaints at the Municipal Theatre in Tunis and repeated the work with the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal (CMM) summer concerts orchestra, conducted by Dessaints at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal.

Savoie taught 1966-9 at Laval University and joined the faculty at the CMM in 1969, and also taught at McGill University as well as at the Casalmaggiore International Festival.

André-Sébastien Savoie also accompanied the mezzo-soprano Michèle Gaudreau on Rêveries au jardin d'amour (1997), and the saxophonist Isabelle Lapierre on the 1998 recording Montreal--Paris--Chicago. In 2003, he issued a CD of works by Alain Gagnon, André Lamarche, François Morel, and Clermont Pépin. He continues to perform.

He was a brother of the baritone Robert Savoie, and is the spouse of actress and senator Andrée Champagne.