Founded in 1985 by Raymond Dessaints, the Ensemble Amati is
composed of remarkable musicians: most of them obtained a Premier Prix from the Conservatoire de musique du Qu┼╜bec. Moreover, with the violinists having studied in the same class, the Ensemble Amati performs with a natural homogeneity.
This is the seventh album of Ensemble Amati: the first one was recorded in 1986, with trombonist Alain Trudel; the second one, recorded in 1988, includes violin concertos by Haydn, Nardini and Vivaldi, with violinists Johanne Arel, Marie-JosŽe Arpin and ƒlaine Marcil; the third album, recorded in 1991, was devoted to Rossini's complete sonatas for strings; the fourth album, recorded in August, 1992, includes modern Spanish works by Federico Moreno-Torroba and Anton Garcia Abril, with guitarist RŽmi Boucher; the fifth is the first volume of Mendelssohn's complete
symphonies for string orchestra; the sixth, recorded in August 1993, includes works of Verdi, Puccini, Albinoni and Respighi.
Raymond Dessaints
Raymond Dessaints, Premier Prix from the Conservatoire de musique de Qu┼╜bec, continued his musical studies in Paris and Rome. After having been a member of the Montr┼╜al Symphony Orchestra, he decided to devote himself to conducting and teaching. He has been the appointed conductor of the CBC National Competition for many years and has also conducted numerous orchestras across the country as well as in Europe. A violin teacher of great renown, he was invited to be a jury member for
international competitions such as Munich, Paganini, Rodolfo Lipizer (Italy) and George Enescu (Romania).
In 1985, Raymond Dessaints founded the Camp musical des Laurentides and the Ensemble Amati Chamber Orchestra. He present- ly teaches violin and is Head of the String Department at the Conservatoire de musique du QuŽbec ˆ MontrŽal.
