Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

March 11, 1955 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

Robert Normandeau is a Canadian composer of electroacoustic music, born on March 11, 1955, in Quebec City, Canada. He is known for his innovative and experimental approach to music composition, which has earned him international recognition and numerous awards. Normandeau's interest in music began at a young age, and he started playing the piano when he was six years old. He later studied music theory and composition at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec, where he received his diploma in 1977. He then went on to study electroacoustic music at the Université de Montréal, where he earned his master's degree in 1984. Normandeau's early works were influenced by the musique concrète movement, which emerged in France in the 1940s and involved the manipulation of recorded sounds to create new musical compositions. His first major work, "Mémoires vives" (1988), is a prime example of this style, featuring a collage of sounds recorded from everyday life, such as traffic, birds, and human voices. In the 1990s, Normandeau began to incorporate more advanced digital technology into his compositions, allowing him to create more complex and intricate soundscapes. His work during this period, such as "Le renard et la rose" (1995) and "Tangram" (1998), showcases his mastery of digital sound processing and manipulation. One of Normandeau's most famous works is "Puzzles" (1992), which was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and has been performed around the world. The piece is a sonic exploration of the human voice, featuring recordings of spoken words and singing that are transformed and manipulated to create a surreal and otherworldly soundscape. Normandeau's later works, such as "Chorus" (2000) and "Hamlet-Machine" (2005), continue to push the boundaries of electroacoustic music, incorporating elements of live performance and multimedia into his compositions. He has also collaborated with other artists, such as choreographer Marie Chouinard and visual artist Monique Savoie, to create multimedia works that combine sound, movement, and visual imagery. Normandeau's contributions to the field of electroacoustic music have been widely recognized, and he has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 1999, he was awarded the Prix Ars Electronica, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of electronic and digital art. He has also been awarded the Canada Council for the Arts' Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award and the Prix Opus for Composer of the Year. In addition to his work as a composer, Normandeau has also been a teacher and mentor to many young musicians and composers. He has taught at the Université de Montréal and the Conservatoire de musique de Québec, and has given workshops and masterclasses around the world. Overall, Robert Normandeau's contributions to the field of electroacoustic music have been groundbreaking and influential. His innovative approach to sound composition and manipulation has inspired countless other artists and composers, and his work continues to be celebrated and performed around the world.

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