Monique Poirier is a pianist, organist and composer and a graduate of the Vincent-d’Indy School of Music. She has worked as a pianist-accompanist for several choirs and has collaborated with numerous singers and musicians. After studying the organ with Pierre Grandmaison, she held the position as Organist at the Sainte-Anne-de-Varennes Basilica in Quebec from 1986 to 1995. Monique also studied cello with Walter Joachim, principal cello of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Her first contact with France was in 1983, when she obtained a scholarship to study cello at the advanced level at the Académie Internationale d’Été in Nice. In 1995, Monique moved to Le Mans in France, where she continued her career. She has written compositions for several musicians as well as for students at the Le Mans Conservatory, for whom she composed around ten duets. In May 2017, she composed and performed for the first time her Magnificat for choir, soloist, trumpets and piano at the Church of Saints-Anges in Lachine. This work was performed at Le Mans as part of the 20th anniversary of the Le Pré en musique Festival in 2018. Monique shares her passion for music through her compositions and her concerts, both in Quebec and in France.

Yves Garand is active on the Montreal cultural scene as a musician and teacher. He began his musical studies early in life, first as a pianist. He studied at the Faculty of Music at the Université de Montréal, as well as at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec. His cherished mentors include Françoise Aubut, Marcelle Martin-Graton, Raymond Daveluy (organ), Janine Lachance (piano accompaniment) and Agnès Grossmann (choral direction). In 1985, he received a Quebec government scholarship to study organ with Suzanne Chaisemartin in Paris. A much-loved and multi-talented artist, Yves Garand brings his expertise as a teacher, pianist and accompanying organist to his work with leading lyric and choral artists in Quebec.

He was a piano teacher with the Vincent-d’Indy School of Music for more than twenty years and held the positions of Director for both the Jocelyne-Laberge School of Music and the Auguste-Descarries School of Music. For seven years, he led intermediate students of piano and strings at the Camp musical des Laurentides. Since 1989, he has held the position of titular of the symphonic organ at Saints-Anges Lachine parish and since 2003 been Artistic Director of the Les Saints-Anges en musique series presented by Concerts Lachine. Since 1999, he has led Chœur Ambiance as Musical Director. Additionally, he was Artistic and General Director of the Mayor Jean-Drapeau Symphonic Concerts. He currently brings this extensive experience to his work as an independent consultant in management and communications. Yves Garand also teaches voice training and singing at the National Theater School of Canada.