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Angèle Dubeau: 10 facts about the great violinist
One of the most prominent violinist in Canada, Angèle Dubeau has played in the great concert halls of the world and chalked up huge record sales - selling more than 500,000 albums.
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1. A violin prodigy
Born on 24 March 1962, Angèle Dubeau was introduced to the violin at a very young age. At 15, she became the youngest student ever to receive first prize in violin at the Montreal Conservatory of Music. She went on to study at Juilliard and later in Romania with the eminent teacher, Stefan Gheorgiu.
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2. Meeting Général De Gaulle
When Général De Gaulle of France visited Canada in 1967, the five year old Angèle asked for his autograph. He did not have a pen, so he pinched her leg instead. This picture of them made the cover of Canadian newspaper, 'La Presse'.
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3. Dubeau's Stradivarius
Dubeau played her first concert with her Stradivarius 'Des Rosiers' in 1977. The Des Rosiers family lived in Lyon and owned the violin for more than a century before it became Dubeau's. She, for her part, has nicknamed her violin 'Arthur', as a tribute to the owner of the violin immediately before her.
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4. Accomplished broadcaster
Since 1994, Dubeau has conceived and hosted concert broadcasts and weekly music programmes for Radio Canada. These include 'Faites vos gammes' and 'Angèle Dubeau et la Fête de la Musique.'
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5. Music in the Mountains
Another important project for Dubeau has been 'Music in the Mountains,' a popular event she has organized, directed and hosted since 1995 which attracts 75,000 people every Labour Day weekend.
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6. Critical acclaim
Dubeau has received critical acclaim all over the world. The 'Los Angeles Times' described her as 'an exciting, dynamic fiddler…The performances were consistently robust and inquiring, taking nothing for granted…'
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7. Prize-winning, best-selling performer
Among numerous awards, Dubeau has won the Sylva Gelber prize, the International Community of Francophone Radio's Soloist of the Year 1987, and the Prize of the Americas at the Viña del Mar International Competition. In addition, she has sold more than 300,000 records as a solo classical recording artist. Besides Dubeau, only a few other classical soloists have a certified Gold record for 50,000 albums sold in a given year.
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8. With La Pietà
In 1997, Dubeau created the all-female string ensemble 'La Pietà.' They have performed in numerous concert halls in Canada, the United States, China and Japan, receiving rave reviews from local papers and radio stations.
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9. With Dave Brubeck
Dubeau played with jazz legend Dave Brubeck at the Montreal Jazz Festival on two occasions. This picture was taken in 2002 at the end of the concert. Dave Brubeck also wrote a piece for Dubeau called 'Regret'.
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10. Honoured by Canada
In 1996, Dubeau was made a member of the Order of Canada. In 2004, she was also made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. She was elevated to Officer of the Order of Canada (OC) in 2012.
