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Médecins Musiciens Series
L’âme du violon
SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 8TH 2025
2:00 PM
L’âme du violon opens I Medici di McGill’s Médecins musiciens series with a program where musical passion meets medical dedication. Violinist and final-year medical student Émilie Auclair takes the spotlight in Mendelssohn’s iconic concerto, alongside a blend of classic works and a newly commissioned piece.
ARTISTS
PROGRAM
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Hebrides Overture
1
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
Violin concerto in E minor
2
JAY DEGASPERIS
Pastoral Symphony in One Movement (World Premiere)
3
JOSEPH HAYDN
Symphony no.104 (London)
4
GETTING TO THE CONCERT HALL
Émilie Auclair
SOLISTE (VIOLON)
Émilie Auclair is a young, innovative Canadian musician whose foremost goal is to bring goodness to those around her. Alongside her medical studies at the Université de Montréal, she uses her musical sensitivity to bring comfort to audiences and those in her life through the violin.
She has appeared as a soloist with ensembles such as Les Violons du Roy, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, and the Orchestre symphonique de Lévis. Also passionate about chamber music, she has performed in recital on numerous occasions as part of prestigious Québec series and festivals such as Musique de chambre à Sainte-Pétronille and Orford Musique.
Graduating with Grande Distinction from the Conservatoire de musique de Québec in both violin and chamber music under the tutelage of Julie Cossette and Darren Lowe, she went on to complete a Performance Diploma at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in the class of Mauricio Fuks. From the moment she arrived in the United States, she distinguished herself through the quality of her playing, winning the Indiana University Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Competition, which led to a solo performance under the renowned Maestro Thomas Wilkins.
A top prize winner at the Concours de musique Pierre-De Saurel, she has also received numerous other awards and distinctions, including First Prize at the Concours de musique du Canada–Canimex, the Public Prize at the OSM Competition, the Québec Symphony Orchestra Foundation Prize, and the Violons du Roy Foundation Prize. She has also been awarded scholarships from Jeunesses Musicales Canada and from the Fondation du Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique du Québec.
Émilie currently performs on a magnificent 1785 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin with a Jean Pierre Marie Persoit bow, generously loaned to her by Canimex Inc., based in Drummondville, Canada.
Jay DeGasperis
COMPOSER & OBOIST
Jay DeGasperis is a Montréal-based oboist and composer whose works blend a deep love of musical tradition with his distinctive personal voice.
A lifelong student of music, Jay began his journey at the piano before discovering the oboe, an instrument that ignited his passion for orchestral music and quickly became his artistic home. Drawing inspiration from notable self-taught composers such as Frederick Delius and Francis Poulenc, he developed his compositional style through independent study of counterpoint, orchestration and the romantic and post-romantic repertoires. As a composer, his works—including the Pastoral Symphony in One Movement—blend expressive melodic writing with refined craftsmanship, reflecting his passion for lyricism and musical structure.
As an undergraduate student in Hamilton, Ontario, Jay performed for several years as an oboist with the McMaster Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Keith Kinder, enhancing his orchestral skills and widening his musical horizons.
He currently performs with a variety of orchestras and chamber ensembles across Montreal, including Da Capo, Collegium Musicum and Second Souffle. As a performer, he is known for his warm, expressive tone and sensitive musicianship.
When not performing or composing, Jay is a dedicated science teacher who inspires curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity in his students. In both the classroom and on stage, his work is driven by passion and a deep sense of human connection.
Maestra Lori Antounian
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
Maestra Lori Antounian’s musical journey began at a very young age, watching her father conduct choirs. Raised in a family of musicians, she naturally found her calling along the same artistic path. Deeply passionate about music as a universal language, she believes that there are no boundaries when it comes to its performance, style, or genre.
Throughout her education, Maestra Antounian studied classical piano, voice, composition, choir conducting, and orchestral conducting. A recipient of four university scholarships, she was mentored by renowned musicians, including Dr. Gregory Chaverdian (piano), Maestro Christopher Jackson (choir conducting), and Maestros Jean-François Rivest, Paolo Bellomia, and Raffi Armenian (orchestral conducting). She earned her Doctoral Conducting degree at the University of Montreal, studying under the guidance of Maestro Paolo Bellomia.
In 2009, Maestra Antounian founded the Imperial Orchestra, which has since become a vital part of Montreal’s cultural landscape. The orchestra has performed numerous concerts, including invitations to prestigious festivals such as EuroFest and the Stella Musica Festival. Through the Imperial Orchestra, she has had the privilege of promoting and premiering works by emerging composers and continues to support local talent. Alongside her orchestral work, she has conducted several choirs, often inviting select ensembles to perform with the orchestra.
A dedicated music professor, Maestra Antounian also shares her passion for music with students of all ages. Through her teaching, she inspires the next generation of musicians, instilling in them a deep appreciation for the transformative power of music.
Maestra Antounian’s international conducting career includes performances with prominent orchestras such as the Argentina National Symphonic Orchestra (Buenos Aires, Argentina), the Córdoba Metropolitan Orchestra (Córdoba, Argentina), the Accademia Vivaldiana (Venice, Italy), the Montreal Conservatory Symphonic Orchestra (Montreal, Canada), the University of Montreal Symphonic Orchestra (Montreal, Canada), Sinfonia Toronto (Toronto, Canada), and the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra (Yerevan, Armenia). She has toured South America, performing before audiences of over 15,000 spectators, and was invited as an assistant conductor of the Montreal Symphonic Orchestra in rehearsal.
In addition to her conducting achievements, Maestra Antounian has been featured in numerous interviews across the globe, including television, radio, newspaper and on social media platforms in Canada, USA, Italy, Armenia, Argentina and Lebanon. In 2024, Maestra Lori Antounian was honored to be invited as a conference speaker for the prestigious Armenian Global Summit 2024, further solidifying her role as a distinguished figure in the international music community.
Her repertoire spans classical, contemporary, experimental, jazz, and folkloric music, with a focus on both symphonic and chamber orchestras, as well as choirs. Known for her expressive performances and professional artistry, Maestra Antounian inspires and moves audiences, believing deeply in the transformative power of music. She is passionate about music's potential to change lives and provide hope for future generations.
“Through my veins, to the orchestra, the power of music flows.” – Maestra Lori Antounian
