Julien Proulx, conductor
The Orchestre de chambre I Musici de Montréal will open its 2011-2012 season with an original program of youthful works by Félix Mendelssohn and his sister Fanny, one of the few female composers of renown in the 19th century. Young conductor Julien Proulx will take the helm of I Musici for the five concerts comprising the first program in the Ogilvy Series. A cellist by training, Julien Proulx served as conductor in residence with I Musici from 2005 to 2008, and he has also directed concerts in the “Piccoli” children’s series.
The orchestra will perform the Sinfonia no. 10 in B Minor and the Sinfonia no. 7 in D Minor by Félix Mendelssohn, as well as the String Quartet in E Flat Major by Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn. These three youthful works bear eloquent testimony to the early creative genius of the Mendelssohns, yet they also remind us how regrettable it is that Fanny was not allowed to indulge her passion for music as fully as her brother.
