Alexis Vollant
Biographie
From Pessamit (Côte-Nord, Québec), Alexis is a poet, pianist, baritone singer and a composer.
Multi-talented artist Alexis Vollant hails from the Innu community of Pessamit, in the Côte-Nord region of Québec. Mostly active in the musical and literary realms as a pianist, baritone, composer, arranger, chorister, writer and poet, he offers a new voice for Indigenous arts in Québec and in Canada.
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Based in Vancouver since 2020, Alexis just graduated from the UBC School of Music with a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance. As a pianist, he focuses on collaboration and chamber music. He also has given some solo recitals in Québec. In 2019, he won the First Prize at the Cégep en Concert competition, which took place at Vanier College in Montréal. He was also recognized at the 2022 edition of the Robert Silverman Concerto Competition at UBC.
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During his time out on the West Coast, Alexis gained an interest for vocal arts and choral music. He first joined the ranks of Chor Leoni, conducted by Erick Lichte, and then was invited to be a core singer (baritone) of the internationally renowned, professional ensemble Vancouver Chamber Choir, conducted by Dr. Kari Turunen. He also sings with the Vancouver Youth Choir, directed by Carrie Tennant.
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His growing passion for choral arts first encouraged him to start writing arrangements for different ensembles, and then compose original works for mixed choir. His style, both refreshing and warm, gained the attention of ensembles such as musica intima, based in Vancouver.
Beyond his musical life, Alexis is also a poet. In May of 2023, his first poetry collection called Nipinapunan was published by Éditions Hannenorak. The work was received with good enthusiasm in Québec. He was a guest writer at the Acadian Poetry Festival (2023 Edition) which took place in Caraquet, New-Brunswick. He is currently working on a novel manuscript with the financial aid of the Canada Council for the Arts.
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In May of 2024, Alexis performed at PODIUM 2024 in Montréal after being invited by Cree-Dene composer and singer Sherryl Sewepagaham. The event gathered Indigenous artists from all over the country including Deantha Edmunds (Inuit, Newfoundland-Labrador), Andrée Levesque Sioui (Wendat, Wendake, QC), Andrew Balfour (Cree, Edmonton, MB), as well as vocal ensemble musica intima (Vancouver, BC). He took part in this concert as a pianist, singer and composer.
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In 2025, the Orchestre Symphonique de la Côte-Nord will perform the world premiere of his Healing Requiem, which will also include a symphonic chorus and a pow-wow drum group. This commission was made thanks to help of Québec Arts Council.