Considering the plaudits by some of our most respected conductors and music critics, it is not surprising that Canadian violinist Tara-Louise Montour was chosen to represent Canada as Concertmaster in the 1998 Commonwealth Youth Orchestra, concomitant with the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This young violin virtuoso has also been guest artist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and the McGill Chamber Orchestra. As winner of the Shell Matinee Series, she has also performed with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. An avid chamber music performer and recitalist, Ms. Montour made her Italian debut with appearances in Cremona, Elba, Siena and Florence. As a chamber performer she has also played for the Mostly Music Series in Chicago and recently at the Luzerne Chamber Music Festival, New York where she was a member of the faculty. In June 2004, Ms. Montour was featured soloist at the groundbreaking Montreal First Peoples’ Festival grand concert presented at Place des Arts, with the Orchestre Métropolitain conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, celebrating National Aboriginal Day.

Not only is Ms. Montour in admirable control of the standard violin repertoire, she is also an enthusiast of contemporary works, some of which have been specifically created for her by composers such as Régent Levasseur and Chris Crilly, with the assistance of the Canada Council and the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. The Eagle and the Loon, a work for piano and violin by Chris Crilly, was premiered in Montreal in 1999. In May of 2001, the Montreal premiere of Farewell to the Warriors, a composition for violin and orchestra by Régent Levasseur based on a Chippewa song sung by women as their men go off to war, was performed with the McGill Chamber Orchestra. That same year, she made her debut as narrator (both in English and French) in a performance of The Loon's Necklace, a renowned Native Indian Legend, with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Boris Brott conducting. In the spring of 2004, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Geoffrey Moull, recorded an all-Canadian CD featuring guest artist Tara-Louise Montour in Farewell to the Warriors. The CD, titled Variations on a Memory, is scheduled for release on September 22.

Of Mohawk heritage, Tara-Louise Montour studied at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal. Following additional studies at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Italy, and the Conservatoire de musique de Sion, Switzerland, she completed a Licentiate of Music at McGill University. She also holds a Masters degree in Music Performance from the University of Northern Illinois.

Recipient of the Mayor of Montreal Foundation Award for 2003, Ms. Montour has been featured on the Radio-Canada, CBC, Télé-Québec, APTN, Global and BRAVO television networks. Tara-Louise Montour plays on a Paolo Antonio Testore circa 1730 violin.