Sébastien Deshaies, guitarist
Sébastien Deshaies was born in Lachine, Montreal in 1980. At the age of nine, he began his first guitar lessons with Mario Roy. Five years later, he studied the classical guitar at the Trois-Rivières Conservatory of Music with Marcel Benoît and subsequently at the Drummondville college for three more years. He also received further training from Bruno Perron (University of Montreal) and Isabelle Héroux (Laval University).
From the outset, he has taken part in numerous competitions including "Guitare-Mauricie", "Concours de Musique du Canada" (Canadian Music Competitions) and "Guitare-Drummond".
In June 1997, he distinguished himself by winning the first prize in his category at the "National Final of the Canadian Music Competitions" held in Montreal. In April 1998, he received the award for musical expression at the Sherbrooke college. In April 1999, he won first prize in the "Guitar-Drummond" contest. In March 2001, he performed on the French Cultural channel of Radio-Canada. In April 2002, he formed the "Digitalis Duo" with oboist Claire Tremblay with whom he appeared in different recitals throughout the province of Québec.
He also worked with composer Jean Chatillon for whom he adapted the arrangements for the classical guitar on the CD called "Chorals".
Sébastien appears regularly in concerts as soloist and with other musical groups as well. He presently teaches the guitar at "L'Académie Les Estacades" high school in the guitar studies program.
Sébastien is also interested in the traditional musics of the world in particular those of Québec, Ireland and Scotland. In 2004, he joined the "L'Anche à Deux Cordes" trio with accordionist Frank Sears and double bass player Marc Benoît. The group represented Canada at the "Carrefour Mondial de l'accordéon de Montmagny (Québec, Canada) . In the summer of 2005, Sébastien was invited as guitarist to join the Laval dance troupe "Les Bons Diables" at the "X Festival del Folclor Internacional" in Zacatecas, Mexico.
In 2005, he was laureate of the "Grands Prix Culturels de Trois-Rivières" (Category: "Arts de la scène Louis-Philippe Poisson").
Over the past years, Sébastien has also been given a chance to give solo recitals thanks to the important support of « Les Jeunesses Musicales du Canada » (section : Trois-Rivières).
English translation : Paul-André Deshaies
BIOGRAPHY
