Alexander Paley Music Festival
· Festival Musicians: Marie-André Chevrette ·
Generosity of sound, commanding and assertive technique, an innate sense of musicality and a stunning stage presence are some of the epithets that have been associated over the years with Marie-André Chevrette’s playing.
The Canadian violinist started her studies when she was four. The following year, she was already performing solo with an orchestra. After completing her studies at the Montreal Conservatory, she obtained her Master’s Degree with Kathleen Winkler at Rice University, in Houston, Texas. Over the years, she also studied with Trevor Williams, professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London; Bogodar Kotorovitch, professor at the Kiev Conservatory; and Levon Ambartsumyan, professor at the Moscow State Conservatory.
Finalist of the Canadian Music Competition, three-time recipient of the Scott Papers Ltd. Grant, winner of a Rice University scholarship, Marie-André Chevrette has won several competitions that led to invitations from American orchestras.
Often a guest soloist with numerous Canadian orchestras, she offered a remarkable performance of Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under the direction of Jacques Lacombe. She has given recitals in Canada, United States, France, Italy, and Egypt. A very active chamber musician, she has shared the stage with world-class musicians such as cellist Denis Brott, pianist Walter Delahunt, violinist Augustin Dumay, clarinettist Paul Meyer, and pianist Alexander Paley. She has taken part in several American festivals as teacher and soloist, including the Pierre Monteux Music Festival (Maine) and the Mimir Chamber Music Festival (Texas).
In her early career she played with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, the Orchestre des Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Houston Ballet Orchestra.
Since 1999 she has been a member of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and is now Associate Principal Second Violin.