Buzz Members


Français Home Buzz Members Concerts and Shows Albums Multimedia Zone Press Room Calendar Contact Young Audience Section	Buzz Members Buzz Musicians are “Yamaha Artists”
	Frédéric Gagnon PRINCIPAL TRUMPET EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in Performance Diploma in Superior Studies, specialization in Performance Diploma in Superior Studies, specialization in Orchestral Repertoire Faculty of Music, Université de Montréal, under Jean-Luc Gagnon Since his early childhood, Frédéric Gagnon has been passionate about music. He attended the Petits chanteurs du Mont-Royal, a primary school with a musical vocation. While subsequently attending Joseph-François-Perrault high school, Frédéric began playing the trumpet. From that moment on, he seriously considered a career in music. He completed his university studies in 2002. A consistent, demanding and ardent musician, he is Principal Trumpet of the Orchestre symphonique de Drummondville and a regular member of the Orchestre symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean. Additionally, he performs occasionally with several ensembles throughout Quebec such as the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the Orchestre Métropolitain as well as with the Laval, Longueuil, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières symphony orchestras. Frédéric had never considered a career in chamber music until Sylvain Lapointe crossed his path and offered him the role of Musical Director and Principal Trumpet for the Buzz project. Not only did Frédéric very enthusiastically accept, but he also brought his musicality and sense of rigour to the project. After having held several specialist teaching positions for close to 10 years within reputable high school music programs, Frédéric is presently teaching trumpet at the CÉGEP Saint-Laurent and at the Université de Sherbrooke. Although Buzz represents an important part of his career, teaching remains a passion and passing on his knowledge to the younger generations makes him a totally fulfilled musician. Frédéric Gagnon plays Yamaha instruments: YTR-9335CHS – Xeno Artist Model YTR-9445CHS – Xeno Artist Model YTR-9610 - Custom YTR-9830 - Custom
	Sylvain Lapointe TRUMPET EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in Classical Performance, under Jean-Luc Gagnon Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance, under Ron Di Lauro Faculty of Music, Université de Montréal Founder and Artistic Director Sylvain Lapointe has a passion for chamber music that he acquired during his high school studies and that inspired him to form his first brass quintet at the age of 15. While attending college and university, he put together an ensemble which first won fame at the prestigious Cégeps en spectacle student contest before giving more than one hundred performances in the province of Quebec as well as in France and Belgium. In 2002, after completing his university studies in music, he founded the Buzz ensemble and put forward an original concept combining theatre and music. With his ensemble, Sylvain Lapointe has presented over 500 concerts and musitheatrical shows in Eastern Canada, reaching over 100,000 spectators. In 2007, he was awarded the “Production of the Year—Young Audiences” OPUS prize for the show UnBUZZlievable! The History of Music, that he wrote and directed. A visionary, Sylvain seeks to reach and touch a vast audience so that he may pass on fascinating music that is always accessible. Sylvain Lapointe plays Yamaha instruments: YTR-9335CHS – Xeno Artist Model YTR-9445CHS – Xeno Artist Model YHF-6310ZS
	Pascal Lafrenière HORN EDUCATION Master’s degree in Performance Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, under Jean Gaudreault Diploma in Superior Studies, specialization in Orchestral Repertoire Faculty of Music, Université de Montréal, under Jean Gaudreault Pascal Lafrenière’s educational path has been a winding one, but his passion for music finally prevailed. After having been introduced to choral singing at the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal, he enrolled in the Cégep Marie-Victorin as a double DEC major in Science and Music and first started studying the horn with Jean-Marc Dugré. Nevertheless, Pascal chose to give up music for two years in order to focus on his scientific studies. Once he obtained his degree, music became a priority again and he was able to study with Jean-Louis Gagnon at the Drummondville Cégep and at the l'UQÀM. Finally, he completed his musical training under Jean Gaudreault at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal. In 2008, he earned a first orchestra audition in Drummondville, where he now plays second horn. Pascal collaborates with several professional orchestras as a freelance musician and teaches the horn to secondary students at the École St-Luc, in Montreal. Pascal Lafrenière plays a Yamaha instrument: YHR-867KRD - Costum
	Jason De Carufel TROMBONE EDUCATION Master’s degree in Performance Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, under Alain Trudel An exemplary and disciplined student, Jason De Carufel earned many scholarships and distinctions in the course of his studies, which have allowed him to perfect his art with masters of international renown. He was notably the recipient of a scholarship awarded by the Joseph McAbbie foundation, underlining the excellence of his Bachelor’s-degree recital. A diligent musician, he participated in several concerts broadcasted on radio and television, both as part of chamber music ensembles and as part of orchestras, including the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières. Jason De Carufel has been a trombonist with the Canadian Armed Forces since 2001, which has given him the opportunity to familiarize himself with different styles of music. He is also involved with two productions of L’Arsenal à Musique, which have taken him across Canada and the United States to perform shows geared to children. His versatility, generosity and sense of humour make him a fellow musician who is appreciated by his peers and an asset for Buzz. Jason De Carufel plays Yamaha instruments: YSL-882GORB – Xeno YSL-671
	Sylvain Arseneau BASS TROMBONE EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in Performance Faculty of Music, Université de Montréal, under Albert Devito and Robert Ellis Set Construction and Design Coordinator (young audience section) It was a twist in Sylvain Arseneau’s diversified and winding trail that guided him to Buzz in 2002, and led him to his true path. It was a new and great challenge for Sylvain, since the bass line, traditionally written for the tuba, was henceforth to be played by the bass trombone—which meant resorting to a certain degree of ingenuity for the fingering technique of the tuba’s valves to be transcended by the skillful handling of the trombone’s slide. Drawing on his experience playing in several renowned big bands as well as on his classical training, Sylvain has demonstrated both versatility and musicality in his role with Buzz. A visionary who is very skilled manually, Sylvain is also the Set Construction and Design Coordinator. Thus is the scenery his creation: He has thought up, imagined and produced the scenic structures to meet the group’s needs. Sylvain is also very involved in the different stages of Buzz’s development. Indeed, his pedagogical expertise as a specialist and substitute teacher in several schools brings new ideas and a better understanding of young audiences. Sylvain Arseneau plays a Yamaha instrument: YBL-822G - Xeno
	Maxime Carbonneau ACTOR - Les Vikings Education Graduate of Montreal Conservatoire d’art dramatique A native of Trois-Rivières, Québec, Maxime Carbonneau graduated in May 2010 from the Montreal Drama School where he had the opportunity to work with Gilbert Turp, Patricia Nolin, Gilbert Sicotte, Michel Monty and Frédéric Blanchette. In turn, he portrayed Hitler, Richard I, the main character in Vie et Mort du Roi Boiteux and Nero. He recently completed studies in mask-making taught by Louise Lapointe. Maxime is also a playwright and one of his plays has been staged in Lavaltrie in the summer of 2010.