Montréal (Québec), 1979
Organization

Artistic Director: Danielle P. Roger

This ensemble was founded 20 years ago and is directed from then by composers and performers Joane Hétu, Diane Labrosse and Danielle Palardy Roger. The PSM produces and performs music that goes beyond the limitations of norms dictated by trends, commercial interests, and academe. The group’s mission is to emphasise the participation of women in music research. Apart from the production of regular concerts and the management of Canadian, American and European tours for women’s ensembles such as Wonder Brass, Les Poules, Justine et Castor & compagnie, PSM has presided the Festival International de musiciennes innovatrices in 1988, and in 1990, La Légende de la pluie, and Montréal/New-York, the latter two being noted improvisation symposia. Other events organised by PSM were Ambiances Magnétiques en concert: une théorie des ensembles (1991), Les Muses au musée (1992), Tohu Bohu, an event that featured a week of “music from today” (1993), and Roche, papier, ciseaux, another series of new music concerts held on four successive Thursdays in 1994. Three recent events include Musique physique/physique musicale (1995), Flammèches / Musique-échange Québec-Belgique (1996), and Collection de timbres (1997).

In 1999-2000 PSM organised four series of concerts entitled L’année des quatre saisons, and is celebrating the new millennium with a large-scale event whose theme is Les musiciennes canadiennes et l’innovation (“Canadian Women Musicians and Innovation”).