Victoriaville International Contemporary Music Festival | In Victo, a page turns

After 41 years at the helm, Michel Levasseur is leaving the Festival international de musique contemporaine de Victoriaville. Who can succeed him?

Are you a lit person? Opened ? Versatile? Do you like exceptional music? Freejazz? The experimental? Are you able to manage? To organize? To program? Apply for grants? Living in the region could be an option?

You may have the right profile to take the helm of the Festival international de musique contemporaine de Victoriaville (FIMAV). The avant-garde event is looking for a new artistic director and co-general manager, or an artistic director and co-general manager, to succeed Michel Levasseur, who will leave Platform productions after 41 years of good and loyal services.

The 39^e edition, which will take place from May 15 to 21, will therefore be its very last. No regrets, he explains.

“We had been talking about it for a while, but I made the decision at the end of November, after having completed the programming”, launches the main interested party, passing through Montreal on Monday to meet the media.

Age obviously played a role in his choice. At 70, Michel Levasseur has theoretically passed the hour of retirement. But above all he evokes an “amalgam of reasons”, which range from “fatigue” to the “difficulty of managing stress” linked to the annual scaffolding of a cutting-edge program.

“The whole process became less interesting. It was harder to re-energize,” he sums up.

For FIMAV, it is clearly the end of an era. And there is no doubt that the departure of Michel Levasseur leaves a big hole in the organization. A double emptiness, we will add, since his companion Joanne Vézina, in charge of administration and co-director general, is also bowing out after 35 years.

Two pages turn instead of one.

big names

With this change inevitably comes the time for assessments. On this side, Michel Levasseur can say mission accomplished. He leaves a cultural event in good financial health, with a certain reputation in the international avant-garde circuit.

Since its very first edition in 1983, FIMAV has revealed exceptional musicians in Quebec, who might otherwise not have had a showcase, including guitarist Fred Frith, saxophonist John Zorn and Japanese hacker Ikue Mori, who are incidentally back for this 39^e editing.

Out of order, we also think of Christian Marclay, Tom Cora, Merzbow, Keiji Heino, Lars Hollmer, Chris Cutler and other brilliant designers from all over the world. Without forgetting the Quebecers René Lussier, Jean Derome, Martin Tétreault, Johanne Hétu or Klaxon Gueule, who shined thanks to the event.

Considering the extreme marginality of the style and the artists represented, it is surprising that the FIMAV has flourished to such an extent, in a small regional town to boot. But with hindsight, Michel Levasseur believes that Victoriaville was a blessing rather than a disadvantage.

“It served us well,” he said. It created a great environment for quality. »

Levasseur says he is happy, moreover, to have been able to inject new blood into the event, while remaining loyal to the musicians of the first generation. With shining eyes, he evokes the Growlers Choir, a metal vocal ensemble that has just released an album, or No Hay Banda, from the contemporary Montreal scene.

“It is certain that when we do this work, we are afraid of not always being on the novelty. There’s the stress of having to stay relevant. But I don’t remember not having succeeded,” he underlines.

Speak French

It remains to be seen how the organization will survive the departure of its partner.

Vézina and Levasseur were the only full-time employees of Platform productions, the rest of the team being made up of about sixty freelancers and seasonal workers. They had the expertise and knowledge necessary to sustain and prosper a cutting-edge cultural event.

But the one who was destined to work in forestry does not seem worried about the future of his baby. Half a dozen people have already shown interest in his position, including Europeans. Managing the event remotely is not excluded, but a minimum of physical presence will be needed to forge links with the cultural, social and municipal environment. “It can’t be done completely digitally,” he says.

For the rest, everything is possible. “We are hopeful that we will find the right people. We will do our interviews in June, after the festival. The only prerequisite is to speak French. If you don’t speak French, you can’t survive Victo. »

Who will you see this year? The programmer’s suggestions

Of course there is the renowned John Zorn, who will play twice at the end of the festival (Sunday May 21). But who to see, if not, during this 39^e editing ? Three proposals by Michel Levasseur.

• PoiL Ueda : a French rock band with a traditional Japanese singer. “Truly an amazing juxtaposition of styles,” summarizes Levasseur. (May 18, 8 p.m.)
• Zoh Amba : at just 23 years old, this free saxophonist already has five or six albums to her credit. We heard her with drummer William Parker. “Pretty incredible, at that age, to already have such a personal sound”. (May 18, midnight)
• Fred Frith Trio with Susana Santos Silva : the first has been a regular at the festival since its very first edition. The second is a rising trumpet star. “In my opinion, it will be a revelation,” says Michel Levasseur. (May 19, 10 p.m.)