Etienne Boudreault
Etienne Boudreault began his studies with Richard Gagnon at the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec in Saguenay, Canada. He continued his studies at Indiana University with Professor Kim Walker where he was the first bassoonist ever to receive an Artist Diploma and the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Genève where he received the 1er prix de Virtuosité avec dinstinctions under Professor Roger Birnstingl and post-Virtuosité by Professor Daniele Damiano, Principal bassoon of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also participated in masterclasses under Milan Turkovic, Mordechai Rechtman and Christopher Millard.
As a 17 year old, Etienne was Grand Award Winner at the Canadian Music Competitions (CMC) in the wind instrument category. In addition, he was Grand Award Winner in all categories at the National Music Festival of Canada in 1997.
Etienne has frequently participated in European chamber music festivals, both as a musician and as a lecturer: Kuhmo International Chamber Music Festival, Herbstgold Festival Eisenstadt (Austria), Storioni Festival (Netherlands), Accademia delle Crete Sinesi (Italy), Oulunsalo Soi Festival, Devienne Festival (France), Mozart Festival (Belgium), Kuru Fest, Korsholm Music Festival, Esbjerg International Chamber Music Festival (Denmark), Luosto Classics and Crusell Music Festival.
As a soloist, Etienne Boudreault has performed in many different orchestras, l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Turku Navy Band and South Jutland Symphony Orchestra, to name but a few. Etienne has also performed with many famous musicians as a chamber musician including Peter Frankl, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Pascal Moragues, Julian Rachlin, Sarah McElravy, Ilya Gringolts, Michel Lethiec, Hervé Joulain, Martin Fröst, Lucas Macias Navarro, Janne Thomsen, Marc Grauwels, Francis Orval, Nicholas Daniel, Finghin Collins, Henri Sigfridsson, Marko Ylönen, Paavali Jumppanen, Emma Johnson, Marianna Shirinyan, Storioni trio, Jacques Zoon, Aldo Baerten, Alain De Rudder, Jörgen van Rijen, etc.
He has also worked closely with jazz musician Carsten Dahl, who composed “Do not speak, do not talk, do not hear” for him. In 2015, a new piece for bassoon and percussion “Libera Me” written for Etienne Boudreault and Christian Martinez by Peter Bruun was premiered. That same year, he also premiered “Devil’s gate” for oboe, bassoon & piano by Canadian-Finnish composer Matthew Whittall.
In 2000 Etienne Boudreault was appointed solo bassoonist at the South Jutland Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 2004. From then, he moved to being a founding member of Ensemble MidtVest and from 2010 a member of Esbjerg Ensemble. At the same time, he was teaching at The Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts of Southern Denmark in Odense. He is also the founder of 60°Quintet. Since January 2017, Boudreault is Principal bassoon of Turku Philharmonic Orchestra.