Even before hearing the jury’s verdict, it was obvious that flutist Ariane Brisson stood head and shoulders above the rest. Her performance of Theobald Boehm’s very long and exceptionally challenging Grande Polonaise op. 16 showcased not only her perfectly developed technique, but all manner of refinements in her articulation and tone.

It would be an understatement to say that the ray of sunshine was flutist Ariane Brisson’s performance in Bach’s Suite No. 2, admirably nurtured by the attentive and detailed conducting of Mathieu Lussier. As such, it accounted for the 29 minutes of genuine frankness and real naturalness of the evening. A musical feast and a celebration of Bach.

Ariane Brisson captive par la musicalité de son jeu, ainsi que le contrôle et la qualité de sa technique et de ses lignes musicales, mais surtout par la verve avec laquelle elle exprime et fait vivre chaque point, chaque respiration, chaque intention et subtilité de ces récits musicaux, par le prisme de son langage personnel