Ecouter
Montréal, Quebec, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
I am just very moved by the fact that these musicians are people that travel far and wide to do what they love, and there is no way that this kind of spirit that exists in these three artists isn’t going to get far in this universe.
Ecouter, on their short summer tour, came to NY on this night (as well as the 12th at Goodbye-Blue-Monday) to perform pieces from the crowdfunded debut CD they released earlier this year. A very talented trio of musicians (some of which play more than one instrument), they presented some crisp performances of the album pieces in order of their appearance.
Very surprising to me (regardless of the fact that she had to settle for a digital rental) was the piano prowess of Amelie Brodeur, who is equally as brilliant a flutist. Normally, I am not a fan of performers that want to flaunt that they are versed in more than one instrument as it can smack of exploitation, but she made such an incredible sound and proved how useful a digital keyboard can be.
Nikola Ragusa, another skillful flutist, switched between flute and alto-flute on the mournful “Adios Nonino” by Astor Piazzolla. The live performances seemed to turn up the emotional hold on these works, and I felt close to tears at times. Equally sad but brilliant for the sweet surprise of vocal performances from both Amelie and cellist Natalie Spehar (who btw, continues to prove she’s among the sharpest-sounding concert cellists in the unsigned new music world) was “Un Canadien Errant-1842?, and although a folk song, it picks up the tradition of new music sung-chamber pieces like David Lang’s version of “Heroin” or Martin Bresnick’s arrangement of Jack Bruce’s “As You Said” as sort of a reward for people possibly longing for a song or two after a program of strictly instrumental concert music.
I am just very moved by the fact that these musicians are people that travel far and wide to do what they love, and there is no way that this kind of spirit that exists in these three artists isn’t going to get far in this universe. - Chris McGovern
I am just very moved by the fact that these musicians are people that travel far and wide to do what they love, and there is no way that this kind of spirit that exists in these three artists isn’t going to get far in this universe.
Ecouter, on their short summer tour, came to NY on this night (as well as the 12th at Goodbye-Blue-Monday) to perform pieces from the crowdfunded debut CD they released earlier this year. A very talented trio of musicians (some of which play more than one instrument), they presented some crisp performances of the album pieces in order of their appearance.
Very surprising to me (regardless of the fact that she had to settle for a digital rental) was the piano prowess of Amelie Brodeur, who is equally as brilliant a flutist. Normally, I am not a fan of performers that want to flaunt that they are versed in more than one instrument as it can smack of exploitation, but she made such an incredible sound and proved how useful a digital keyboard can be.
Nikola Ragusa, another skillful flutist, switched between flute and alto-flute on the mournful “Adios Nonino” by Astor Piazzolla. The live performances seemed to turn up the emotional hold on these works, and I felt close to tears at times. Equally sad but brilliant for the sweet surprise of vocal performances from both Amelie and cellist Natalie Spehar (who btw, continues to prove she’s among the sharpest-sounding concert cellists in the unsigned new music world) was “Un Canadien Errant-1842?, and although a folk song, it picks up the tradition of new music sung-chamber pieces like David Lang’s version of “Heroin” or Martin Bresnick’s arrangement of Jack Bruce’s “As You Said” as sort of a reward for people possibly longing for a song or two after a program of strictly instrumental concert music.
I am just very moved by the fact that these musicians are people that travel far and wide to do what they love, and there is no way that this kind of spirit that exists in these three artists isn’t going to get far in this universe. - Chris McGovern
Montreal-based musician Nikola Ragusa teamed up with two other musicians he met on Twitter and used the crowd-funding site Indiegogo to raise $3,330 to record an album. - CBC
Discography
Ecouter (2013) Debut Album
Photos
Bio
Amelie Brodeur
Flutist and pianist Amlie Brodeur is a versatile musician: From symphonic music, contemporary music, world music, chamber music and improvised music. She has been heard on various radio stations including CBC radio, Radio-Classique and WPRB Princeton. She also played different ensembles for the seasons of SMCQ, Festival du Monde Arabe, Montral Nouvelle Musique, Festival de Lanaudire, XFest and many more. She has a bachelor degree in performance from Universit de Montral and a Diploma in Advanced music performance studies from Concordia University, both with the highest marks and distinction in her classes. For example, she received the Marusia Yaworska scolarship that recognizes the excellence of music performance graduate students. She is also a passionate teacher and she holds a bachelor degree in music education from UQAM.
Amlie Brodeur has perfected her art with many great musicians in United States, Europe and Canada. Among her engagements with many orchestras and ensembles in concert and in studio: She was a soloist, performing Concerto Traverse for flute and orchestra by Gilles Tremblay with Orchestre 21, under the baton of maestro Paolo Bellomia. On that occasion, critic Claude Gingras from La Presse described her as an extraordinary technician of her instrument, describing her playing as expressing the most beautiful energy.
Natalie Spehar
An accomplished classical, rock, and folk cellist, Natalie has performed as a member of several ensembles, including most recently the Great Noise Ensemble, the Low End String Quartet and the Washington, D.C. based cello rock ensemble, Primitivity. An enthusiastic presenter of new music, Natalie has premiered new cello works by composers Tomek Regulski, Finola Merivale, Orie Sato, Keane Southard, Andrew Watts, famed Syrian recording artist Malek Jandali, and her 2011-12 season featured her in premieres of works by renowned composers Zoe Keating, Sarah Lipstate, Cornelius Dufallo and Hannah Lash. Natalie also recorded an original soundtrack for the television documentary Through the Eye of the Needle, as well as composed and recorded the solo cello original soundtrack for the award-winning animated film, Test Anxiety. Natalie holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance as well as a Certificate in Arts Leadership from Eastman School of Music, and a Masters in Cello Performance from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Nikola Ragusa
Nikola has played around the world including Japan, USA, Germany and many areas across Canada. His debut solo album in 2010 Flutes are Jumping can be heard online on Itunes and has received airplay around the world. He has played in several city symphonies throughout his career in Montral, Quebec (Musicians of the World Orchestra) and Lansing, Michigan (Lansing Symphony). In 2010 he directed a Chamber Orchestra and programmed an arrangement of Peter and the Wolf. He also conducted the pieces of Charles Ives (the Unanswered Question) and J.S. Bach Suite in B Minor in two concert programs for Classical Revolution Montreal in October 2010. Between 2010-2012 he has performed in many engagements including movie soundtracks for major Canadian Documentaries, jingles, commercials and others.
His most recent engagements in 2013 has been playing in XFest2013 in Lowell, Massachusetts, which is an improvisational festival that spans 3 days in February.
Band Members
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