Where did we meet?
We met years ago, in 2012 to be precise. At the time we were both studying at the University of Montréal and we met through a chamber music gathering. Since we were both passionate about chamber music, we kept playing together more and more, and this friendship lead to Duo Cavatine!
Where did our duo name come from?
Cavatine is the name of the slow movement of the sonata for cello and piano by Francis Poulenc, one of our all-time favorites and the first piece we learned together! This movement is absolutely gorgeous, and its poetry and refinement spoke to us instantly. Our duo’s name was found!
What kind of cello does Noémie play?
Noémie is playing on a beautiful Groffriller cello, nicknamed “Ex-Curtis”, graciously on loan to her by Canimex Inc. It is an old Italian cello (dating from 1700) that might be the eighth marvel of the world! It has a wonderful personality that fits Noemie’s perfectly and they create a wonderful team!
What type of piano does Michel-Alexandre prefer?
This pianist is quite low-maintenance! Playing on a bunch of different pianos everyday—his day-job being a collaborative pianist in schools and universities—he is used to adapt quickly to anything thrown at him! His dream piano, though: a good Bösendorfer, or any Esmonde-White pianos! And a Fazioli for fancy days!
Which pieces are you scared to perform still?
M-A : I would be lying if I would say I’m comfortable with the whole repertoire yet! My next mountain to champion would be the Chopin Sonata for cello and piano, which I never properly took the time to refine. Ahhh…if Chopin was still alive, I would have some questions for him!
N: Chopin sonata! Just kidding, the cello part is not so hard actually. There are not that many pieces I am scared of but if I have to chose one, it would be the A Major Sonata by Beethoven. Beethoven is not a composer that I understand easily, his pieces are the ones that I really have to think hard about in order to understand them and have a genuine and convincing performance. I learned his A Major Sonata when I was a teenager and I could already tell that I had no natural feeling for this piece and that my interpretation was awful. Because I was so young, I think I was a bit traumatized by Beethoven’s music (that was the first Beethoven Sonata I ever played!) and I am having a hard time to revisit it!
What is a typical day in the life of Duo Cavatine?
The duo believes in a balance between great efficiency and a good ambiance. So, on a good day, after the inevitable coffee, we would have a rehearsal covering the repertoire to be performed soon, as well as some sneak peek into some newer repertoire to be performed further down the road. This would probably be followed by a passionate discussion about the gazillion projects we have on the table, and the best way to realize them! We also both love good food, so there would need to be a moment when we either cook something delicious or simply find a homey restaurant to continue pondering the best ways to take over the world!