With his passion for new music, saxophonist Jean-Marc Bouchard explores the repertoire from various angles as both performer and improviser. As part of the Quasar saxophone quartet (of which he is both a founding member and general manager), Bouchard has taken part in over 40 premieres ranging from music theatre to digitally treated works, by way of symphonic orchestra. Since it was founded in 1994, the quartet has appeared all over Canada, the United States and Europe. As a teacher, Bouchard founded and currently directs the Université de Montréal’s improvisation workshop. This workshop brings together a variety of instrumentalists and provides fertile ground for musical exploration and discovery by university students who are interested in new music. As a soloist, Bouchard has worked regularly and in close collaboration with composer Jean-François Laporte. His work with Laporte includes premiering 4 works, some of which were written for invented instruments. One example among others includes his solo performance of November 2008, with the Orchestre National de France with Laporte’s invented waves instrument.
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