Jérôme Blais

Biography

Sample Works

Jérôme Blais was born in 1965. After studying Music Theory at McGill University, he pursued and obtained in 1995 a Master's degree in Compositional Techniques at the University of Montreal where in 2004 he completed his doctoral studies with Michel Longtin and Reno De Stefano. His research dealt with the integration of improvisation into the compositional process. Jérôme Blais' works have been performed by several professional performers and ensembles, among which are Norman Adams (Halifax), Array Music (Toronto), Bozzini String Quartet (Montreal), Bradyworks (Mtl), Continuum (Tor.), Simon Docking (Hfx), Ensemble contemporain de Montréal, Wallace Halladay (Tor.), Corey Hamm (Vancouver), Janice Jackson (Hfx), Hank Knox (Mtl), Montion Ensemble (Fredericton), Musica Nova (Lennoxville), Barbara Pritchard (Hfx), Quasar Saxophone Quartet (Mtl), Jeff Reilly (Hfx), Rosa Ensemble (Amsterdam), Ziya Tabassian (Mtl), Toca Loca (Tor.) and Upstream Music Association (Hfx). He also performs as a pianist and improviser, notably with saxophonist Jean-Marc Bouchard. His research and compositional activities have received funding from such agencies as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Fonds pour la formation de chercheurs et l'aide à la recherche (FCAR, now FQRSC), the Conseil des arts et des letters du Québec (Quebec’s Arts Council), and the Canada Council. In addition to his composition and improvising activities, Jérôme Blais taught harmony, composition and orchestration at the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Music and at the University of Sherbrooke’s School of music from 1998 to 2004. Since the fall of 2004, he is Professor of Composition and Music Theory at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

July 2009

Back to Top