Gabo Champagne

Composer, transdisciplinary artist

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Contact – gabochampagne@gmail.com

Bio

Gabo is a transdisciplinary artist living and working in Tiohtiá:ke/Mooniyang (Montreal). Their work is at the confluence of contemporary music, experimental theater, performance art, video, electroacoustic music, and lighting design. A versatile artist she has written and co-written many works as a composer, actor-dancer, instrumentalist, performer, director, playwright, author, lighting designer, sound designer and video artist. Their most recent works include contemporary opera, experimental musical theater, and video-performance.  

Interested in subjects such as human relationships, authenticity and child development mechanisms, her creative impulse takes shape through transmodality, i.e., the transposition of characteristics, techniques and/or qualities present in one medium to another. This leads them to develop a vision of artistic creation that is not governed by disciplinary barriers, resulting in a fluid, intuition-based approach. Her creations seek to engage creators, audiences, and performers in powerful, emotional experiences. 

Their passion for collaboration has led them to create works for instrumental performers inspired by their intimacy and their life. These creative opportunities enable instrumentalists to experience significant transformations through collaboration. This interest in intimacy also translates into experiences in great proximity to the audience, where performers enter into close interaction with the audience through solos and confidences.

Gabo's work has been presented in Switzerland, France, Belgium, Denmark, Catalonia, Finland, Austria, Singapore, throughout Canada and the United States. She has also taken several workshops in Quebec, Canada and worldwide. In Japan, they studied butoh with Yoshito Ohno and GooSayTen; gagaku with the Kitanodai ensemble; noh with the International Noh Institute. She has also taken theater workshops with Eugenio Barba and the Odin Teatret company in Denmark. In music, Gabo has been mentored by composers such as Ana Sokolović, Pierre Michaud, Denis Gougeon, Mark Applebaum, George Lewis, Liza Lim, Tyshawn Sorey, Hèctor Parra, Elena Mendoza, Yvette Janine Jackson, Matana Roberts, Malin Bång, Jason Doell, Carolyn Chen, François Sarhan and Nadir Vassena, among others. Gabo holds a master's degree in composition and sound design from the Université de Montréal.

French bio

Gabo est un.e artiste transdisciplinaire vivant et travaillant à Tiohtiá:ke/Mooniyang (Montréal). Son travail est aux confluents de la musique contemporaine, du théâtre expérimental, de l’art performance, de la vidéo, de la musique électroacoustique et de la conception d’éclairage. Artiste polyvalent·e, iel a signé et co-signé plusieurs créations à titre de compositeur·ice, acteur·ice-danseur·euse, instrumentiste, performer, metteur·e en scène, dramaturge, auteur·ice, concepteur·ice d’éclairage, concepteur·ice sonore et artiste vidéo. Ses plus récentes œuvres côtoient des formes telles que l’opéra contemporain, le théâtre musical expérimental et la vidéo-performance.

Intéressé·e par des sujets tels que les relations humaines, l’authenticité et les mécanismes de développement de l’enfant, son impulsion créatrice prend forme à travers la transmodalité, c’est-à-dire la transposition de caractéristiques, techniques et/ou qualités présentes dans un médium vers un autre. Cette approche l’amène à développer une vision de la création artistique qui ne soit pas régie par les barrières disciplinaires, résultant en une démarche fluide et fondée sur l’intuition. Ses créations cherchent à rejoindre créateur·ices, publics et interprètes dans des expériences émotionnelles, fortes et marquantes.

Sa passion pour la collaboration l’amène à créer des œuvres pour interprètes instrumenta·ux·les s’inspirant de l’intimité et de la vie de ce·lle·ux-ci. Ces opportunités créatrices tentent de mettre en place un dispositif qui permet aux instrumentistes de vivre des transformations significatives à travers la collaboration. Cet intérêt pour l’intimité se traduit aussi par des expériences en grande proximité avec le public, où les interprètes entrent en interaction étroite avec l’audience à travers des solos, des confidences, des partages.

Le travail de Gabo a été présenté en Suisse, en France, en Belgique, au Danemark, en Catalogne, en Finlande, à Singapour, partout au Canada et aux États-Unis. Iel a par ailleurs suivi plusieurs formations au Québec, au Canada et à l’international, notamment au Japon en butoh avec Yoshito Ohno et GooSayTen, en gagaku avec l’ensemble Kitanodai et en noh avec l’International Noh Institute. Elle a aussi suivi des ateliers en théâtre avec Eugenio Barba et sa compagnie Odin Teatret au Danemark. En musique, Gabo a été mentoré.e par des compositeurices tel.le.s que Ana Sokolović, Pierre Michaud, Denis Gougeon, Mark Applebaum, George Lewis, Liza Lim, Tyshawn Sorey, Hèctor Parra, Elena Mendoza, Yvette Janine Jackson et Matana Roberts, pour n’en nommer que quelques-un.e.s. Gabo détient une maîtrise en composition et création sonore de l’Université de Montréal.

List of Works

2023

Voyagerwege – for three performers and electronics.

  • Performed at Impuls Academy.

Bébé – for piano, trumpet and theater.

  • Music theatre performance premiered at Impuls Academy.

Enne, eau, enne – for flute, bass clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello, conductor, and theatre.

  • Piece written as part of the HATCH program with Continuum ensemble. The piece was performed as part of a little Ontario tour, at the Toronto Summer Music Festival, at the BIGLAKE Music Festival in Wellington, ON, and at Chamberfest in Ottawa.

Naissances – experimental opera for saxophone, trumpet, piano, guitar, two sopranos, mezzo-soprano, octophony and lighting design.

  • The work was premiered in May 2023 as part of the 2022-2023 season of Codes d’accès.

Hui, heur, nuit – solo performance art piece with whistling, piano, glockenspiel, electronics, and lighting design.

  • The piece was commissioned by Ensemble Bakarlari and I performed it as part of their concert “Ritratto”, co-produced by Le Vivier.

Bryophytes – for percussion, guitar, piano, electronics and theatre.


2022

Igranédeur coveloppetée – for bassoon, piano, violin, cello, electronics, and theatre.

  • This work was created as part of a residency with the contemporary music ensemble at University of Montreal. The piece has been performed in the final concert of the ensemble’s season.


2021

Phòbos – for trumpet, actor, electronics, lighting design and theatre.

  • This piece was commissioned by ensemble Bakarlari and was premiered by trumpeter Émilie Fortin and actor Iehoel Brault.

R…v…rs…m-----ooooiiiiii – for bass clarinet and electronics.

  • The piece was commissioned by Julia Lougheed who performed it in many different occasions in the USA and recorded it in her debut album.

Bestiaire – electronics.

  • This piece was created as part of a seminar on music and dance. I collaborated with choreographer Josiane Goneau and the final project was a dance-video.


2020

WILDQUEER – sound design.

  • This performance art piece featured puppetry, dance, props, set design and a very important sound design aspect. The work was premiered in the window of a sex shop in the gay Village in Montréal.

Grive solitaire – for symphony orchestra.

  • The piece was created as part of a residency with the University of Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OUM). The piece was filmed as concerts were not allowed during COVID.

Lointaine proximité – for soprano saxophone.

  • The piece was written for a reading session with Sigma saxophonist Andres Gomis, during the Mixtur Festival in Barcelona.

Jacinthe – chamber opera for oboe, clarinet, bassoon, tuba, percussion, piano, violin, soprano and mezzo-soprano.

  • The piece was created as part of an opera creation seminar. The work was filmed as concerts were not allowed during COVID.


2019

Ten Days at a Traffic Light – for bassoon, handpan and theatre.

  • The piece was commissioned by Jo Anne Sukumaran and was premiered at the Singapore Esplanade Recital Studio.

VI-Vent d’automne – for violin and tape.

  • The piece was commissioned by Virginie Laliberté and was premiered as part of the Edmonton New Music concert series.

De Prins op het Witte Paard – for signing doublebassist.

  • The piece was written for Annick Odom who performed it as part of the final Ensemble Evolution concert in Banff, AB.

Qu’en est-il de cet espace étrange qui nous sépare et qu’il nous faut abattre – for free instrumentation.

  • The piece was written and performed during Ensemble Evolution in Banff, AB.

À moi, à toi, à nous – for solo guitar.

  • This piece was written as part of the Class Axe program and was performed in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

Le temps qui coule en nous […] – for solo clarinet.

  • The piece was commissioned by Julien Deguire and written in 2019, and was premiered in 2023 as part of the Ritratto concert produced by Bakarlari and Le vivier.


2018

Gérard – for flute, saxophone, two clarinets, percussion, piano and theatre.

  • The piece was written and premiered as part of the WRCMS in the Kitchener-Waterloo region, ON.

Songes pour Ghislain – for guitar, harp, electronics and theatre.

  • The piece was written and performed as part of the LMCML in Montréal.

Didier – for flute, clarinet, piano, violin, viola, cello, and soprano.

  • The piece was created as part of a residency with the University of Montreal Contemporary Ensemble. The piece was premiered in the final concert of their season.


2017

La chicane est pognée dans’ cabane – for string quartett.

  • The piece was written for the Bozzini Quartett as part of the Bozzini Lab and was premiered in the final concert of the workshop.

Chant de la déesse qui voit son espoir s’envoler dans les souterrains de la terre – for harp and actor.

  • The piece was premiered as part of the contemporary music concert of the SOIR Festival in Montréal.

zO – for solo tenor.

  • The piece was created as part of the theatre play Caligula, created by JJ Houle and performed during the SOIR Festival in Montréal.


2016

Chansons d’Ostrelande – for solo tenor.

  • Piece performed as part of the eponymous play created by JJ Houle and performed at ArtNeuf, in Montréal.

Yasahi – for flute, clarinet, piano, violin, cello.

  • The piece was created for a recorded reading with the Nouvel Ensemble Monderne as part of a composition class at University of Montreal.


2015

VVVVVV – for wind quintet.

  • The piece was created for a recorded reading with the Nouvel Ensemble Monderne as part of a composition class at University of Montreal.

Post-Scriptum – for flute, violin, viola, and cello.

  • The piece was created for a recorded reading with the Nouvel Ensemble Monderne as part of a composition class at University of Montreal.