Domaine Forget

History

At the turn of the twentieth century, Domaine Forget was three separate estates owned by three eminent Canadians. Les Sablons was owned by Joseph Lavergne, a judge and colleague of Sir Wilfrid Laurier; Hauterive was the property of Adolphe-Basile Routhier, a judge and the lyricist of the French language version of O Canada. Gil'Mont, which forms the major part of the property, was the estate of Rodolphe Forget, a Member of Parliament and investor and entrepreneur in the Charlevoix region.

In 1945, Les Petites Franciscaines de Marie, a religious order, first purchased Gil'Mont as the school "Institut Familial" (Family Institute), and a year later bought the properties belonging to Judges Laverge and Routhier in order to protect the privacy of the educational institution. In 1977, the school was converted into what is now known as Le Domaine Forget, a non-profit corporation with a mission of promoting music and dance.

Festival

The festival features dance, jazz, and, most prominently, classical music. Concerts run from May to September and feature well-known artists from all over the world.

The festival concerts take place almost exclusively at Le Salle Françoys-Bernier, a 600-seat concert hall constructed in 1996 by Le Domaine Forget and known for its remarkable acoustics.

Academy

The academy plays host to a number of different masterclass sessions: chamber music, brass, woodwinds, guitar, strings, new music/composition, singing, jazz singing, and dance. All occur at different times of the summer and fall and feature faculty from around Quebec, Canada, and the world. Domaine features a dormitory for students under 18 years of age and six three-story studios for its students over 18. At the end of each session, a public concert is offered featuring student performances.

Notable festival performers

Notable academy teachers