René Lussier

Canadian Avant-Garde Guitarist and Composer

Guitarist René Lussier is one of the pillars of innovative music in Quebec. A prolific and eclectic composer, he has been charting new music territories since the end of the ’70s, teaming up with musicians from all fields. Co-founder of the label Ambiances Magnétiques, he has engineered and produced most of his albums. He has written music for over fifty films, either on his own or in collaboration. Passionate about improvisation, he holds meetings and workshops devoted to this activity in Quebec and Europe on a regular basis. His work has received numerous awards and distinctions: the “Avant Garde MIMI” (2002) awarded by the Montréal Independent Music Initiative; the Victor-Martyn-Lynch-Staunton Award (2001) from the Canada Council for the Arts to “salute exceptional achievements and excellence”; the Freddy Stone Award (1996) for “his artistic integrity, his innovative spirit, and his contribution to Canadian new music”; the Prix Paul Gilson (1989) awarded to his piece “Le Trésor de la langue” by the Communauté des radios publiques de langue française [the Community of French-speaking State Radios]; the First Prize of the Yorktown Short Film & Video Festival (1987) with Jean Derome for their music for Hélène Klodowsky’s film “Painted Landscapes of the Times: The Art of Sue Coe”; the Brazowy Smok First Prize (1984, Krakow, Poland) with Robert Marcel Lepage for their music for Pierre Hébert’s film “Chants et danses du monde inanimé: le métro.”