Nora Simard-Saint-Cyr
My research will address the question: how to perform the 18th century repertoire on the modern flute? Most of my research will focus on Baroque and Galant style. I will be looking at repertoire frequently played by modern flutist (J.S Bach Sonatas, Handel Sonatas, C.P.E Bach Sonata for solo flute in A minor, Telemann Fantasias), and repertoire that is less known of modern flutist (Hotteterre Suites, Couperin Concert Royal).
I will use a similar approach to performance than the Historically Informed Performance movement. To document the performance practices, I will reference important treatises, manuscript and/or first print of pieces studied, and analyze how they have been interpreted in twentieth century through book that reflects on performance practices of the 18th century written in the past century. I will then apply them to the baroque flute first and then transpose them to the modern flute.
Nora Simard-Saint-Cyr completed her undergraduate studies at the Schulich School of Music in flute Performance and Music History, with Timothy Hutchins. She has participated in numerous masterclasses including Emmanuel Pahud, Mathieu Dufour, Denis Bouriakov, Jeanne Baxtresser, Philippe Bernold, Jennifer Gunn, Julien Beaudiment, Robert Aitken, and Sarah Jackson. As a flutist and piccolist, she performed with various orchestras throughout Montreal: OPMEM, Orchestre 21, Orchestre Intemporel, and Orchestre symphonique de la Côte-Nord. She completed her Masters in Musicology at Université de Montreal with Sylvain Caron, her thesis supervisor. Her research observed general performance practices of the baroque flute repertoire in the second part of the 20th century. In the summer 2018 she traveled to Paris to participate in Rethinking Music in France during the Baroque Era, a symposium organized by Université Sorbonne, CNRS, and Centre de musique Baroque Versaille, where she presented a conference called “Chedeville’s Il Pastor Fido : an historical inspired performance proposition.” As an extension of her research, Nora began playing the Baroque flute, subsequently completing a Graduate diploma in early music performance in baroque flute at Schulich School of Music in 2019-2020 school year, where she studied with Lena Weman. Additionally, she participated in masterclasses for the Baroque flute with Claire Guimond, Alexis Kossenko, and Jan De Winne.
D.Mus Performance
Supervisor(s): Mika Putterman
