• Simon Aldrich, clarinet; Frédéric Bednarz, violin; Jean-Marc Bouchard, baritone saxophone; Pierre-Alain Bouvrette, cello; Isabelle Bozzini, cello; Stéphanie Bozzini, viola; Tim Brady, electric guitar; Nicolas Caloia, double bass; João Catalão, percussion; Lori Freedman, clarinet; Ryan Frizzell, trumpet; Alain Giguère, violin; Simon Harel, horn; Barah Héon-Morissette, percussion; Philip Hornsey, percussion; Frédéric Lambert, viola; MariÈve Lauzon, flute; Marie-Chantal Leclair, soprano saxophone; Mathieu Leclair, saxophone; Jean-Michel Malouf, trombone; Fabrice Marandola, conductor; Charles-Étienne Marchand, violin; Clemens Merkel, violin; Catherine Meunier, percussion; Guy Pelletier, flute; Brigitte Poulin, piano; Olga Ranzenhofer, violin; Jean René, viola; Danielle Palardy Roger, assistant conductor; Marlon Schumacher, electronics

These two John Cage pieces are played in superposition, as Cage suggests in the score of Atlas Eclipticalis.

“On a winter night, when all is motionless and we contemplate the constellations.”

Thirty musicians from every corner of Montréal’s contemporary music scene join forces for a unique performance of John Cage’s famous Atlas Eclipticalis, premiered in Montréal by the composer 50 years ago. The piece had been commissioned by Québécois composer Pierre Mercure. Written by the American giant for 1 to 86 instruments, it is a literal transcription of the night sky’s constellations: a magnificently organized chaos giving birth to meditative ever-changing music.