Ensemble ArtChoral, formerly known as Ensemble vocal Arts-Québec, is a professional choir steeped in the grand tradition of choral music in Quebec, with the mission to present professional choral music in Québec, Canada and internationally. Ensemble ArtChoral is recipient of the prix Opus Musical Event of the Year 2020. After having been led for nearly 40 years by its founder, Yves Courville, the choir named Matthias Maute, two-time Juno Award recipient, as its artistic director in 2019. Since Matthias Maute’s nomination, the choir has substantially increased the number of its concerts per year in Quebec and Canada, making a stellar impression including performances in the Maison symphonique with soprano Karina Gauvin (including an album recorded with Leaf Music) and concerts at the Montreal Baroque Festival and Ottawa’s Music and Beyond festival. From its inception, Ensemble ArtChoral has chosen to perform works from the great masterpieces of the repertoire for choir. Following upon the success of its performances of Handel’s oratorio The Triumph of Time and Truth, the choir was chosen to take part in Ensemble Caprice’s 30th anniversary celebration performances of Bach’s B minor Mass in Bourgie Concert Hall. Since 2018, the choir has performed with the Ensemble Caprice in Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Terrebonne, as well as in Westmount, and Montréal. During one of its tours, the choir performed Handel’s Messiah in various regions of Québec. The choir’s director, Matthias Maute, recipient of two Juno Awards, one Juno for his album with choir entitled Vivaldi and his Angels, has earned an international reputation for his excellent work as artistic director of Ensemble Caprice, the Minnesota Bach Society, Concerts Noncerto and co-artistic director of the Montreal Baroque Festival. In 2019, Ensemble ArtChoral celebrated its 40th year of musical excellence. In 2020, Ensemble ArtChoral co-founded the initiative Mini-Concerts Santé. 4,900 free Mini-Concerts Santé were delivered from door-to-door in 648 disadvantaged streets in 97 regions, cities and neighbourhoods of Québec and Ontario for social and mental health to 36,000 children, adolescents, seniors, adults, and families. Through 1,700 musician hires of professional singers and instrumentalists who perform with 184 classical music organizations. A documentary was financed by the Canada Council for the Arts and broadcast by Radio-Canada.
