Catherine Meunier

A native of Sherbrooke, Catherine Meunier began her percussion studies at age 12. On June 9, 2000, she became the first percussionist to win the Prix d’Europe, by a unanimous jury decision. She was also awarded the Canadian Music Centre Prize for the best interpretation of a Canadian piece. As a soloist and chamber musician, Catherine Meunier has given concerts in Canada, the United States, Taiwan, and Japan, some of which were broadcasted on CBC and Radio-Canada radio. She played concertos with the Orchestre Symphonique de Longueuil and the Ensemble prestissimo, as well as recitals at the Lachine, Lanaudière, and Mont-Tremblant Music Festivals. With flutist Marie-Hélène Breault, as part of the 2004-2005 Jeunesses Musicales du Canada concert season, Catherine Meunier gave over 40 concerts in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. With the Quintette à vent Estria, she recorded Nature/Nurture for marimba and woodwind quintet by composer Chan Ka Nin for ATMA records. She has premiered several solo and chamber music works by composers such as Chan Ka Nin, Andrew MacDonald, Michel Frigon, Nicolas Gilbert, Christien Ledroit, and Judah Adashi. Active as a freelance musician, she played for ensembles such as Bradyworks and Ensemble contemporain de Montréal. She is often ask to play with orchestras like Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, Orchestra symphonique de Laval, and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. Her love for chamber music led her to found many ensembles like the Mont-Royal Quintet, the flute and marimba duo Meunier/Breault, the violin and marimba duo the Wooden Project, as well as duos with french horn player Louis-Philippe Marsolais, and percussionist D’Arcy Gray. She is often invited to give masterclasses and conferences on marimba, and also as a judge at Canadian Music Competition and student recitals.

Ms. Meunier holds a D.Mus. in Performance from Université de Montréal where she studied with Serge Desgagnés. She has also earned a B.Mus. in Performance from Sherbrooke University where she studied with Mario Boivin; a M.Mus. in Performance from McGill University with D’Arcy Gray, Andrei Malashenko and Pierre Béluse; and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory with Robert Van Sice.