Denise Simard-Lapointe announces retirement, closing a remarkable chapter in music

Tashi Farmilo 

Denise Simard-Lapointe, the revered founder and Musical and Artistic Director of the Grand Orchester Grande Rivière (GOGR), has announced her retirement, marking the end of an era for the music community in Gatineau and beyond. Her departure comes after a distinguished career that has spanned over five decades, leaving behind a legacy of musical excellence and an indelible impact on countless students and musicians.

Simard-Lapointe's journey began at a young age, with her introduction to the piano at five and her early experiences with choral music by seven. Demonstrating exceptional talent and dedication, she became a choirmaster at just fifteen in Saguenay. Her pursuit of musical education took her to Laval University and then to the University of Ottawa, where she studied piano, pedagogy, and musical direction under notable mentors, including Jacquotte Ribière-Raverlat and the late Miklós Takács, both students of the esteemed Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly.

Throughout her career, Simard-Lapointe has made significant contributions to the field of music education and performance. She was instrumental in founding the École de Musique de l'Outaouais québécois and its summer music camp in 1974. Her role as an educator extended to the Grande-Rivière secondary school in Quebec's Outaouais region, where she established the school's first choir and headed the music concentration department.

Her influence reached far beyond Canada. In the mid-1980s, Simard-Lapointe spent three years in Bamako, Mali, where she animated the French cultural centre with music, setting up a piano class and a choir. This was followed by a period in Havana, Cuba, where she studied under the famed Cuban pianist Raul Iglésias and worked with the legendary Astor Piazzolla.

In Paris, she founded and directed a chamber orchestra and choir, drawing musicians from the prestigious Salle Gaveau and the Canadian students' house. Her international work continued in Ecuador, where she conducted six orchestras and staged numerous concerts, earning recognition from the Metropolitan Municipal Government of Quito for her contributions to the country's musical landscape.

Simard-Lapointe's dedication to her roots was evident in her return to Grande-Rivière school, where she nurtured young talent. In 2016, she founded the Grand Orchester Grande Rivière (GOGR), bringing together former students trained over four decades. The orchestra quickly gained acclaim, winning multiple gold medals in national competitions.

As she steps down, Simard-Lapointe leaves behind a vibrant and thriving musical community. Her retirement is a poignant moment for GOGR and the broader music world, as it closes a chapter of extraordinary leadership and visionary artistry. Her legacy, however, will continue to inspire and shape the future of music for years to come.

Photo captions: The music community in Gatineau and beyond is witnessing the end of an era as Denise Simard-Lapointe, the esteemed founder and Musical and Artistic Director of the Grand Orchester Grande Rivière, announces her retirement.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Grand Orchester Grande Rivière Facebook page