Nearly 3 years after surviving sword attack, Quebec City musician heads to New York | Globalnews.ca

At the same time as he packs his luggage, Quebec’s Rémy Bélanger de Beauport, can hardly imagine he’ll be dwelling in New York Metropolis lower than per week from now.

“It’s humorous. I’m virtually shy to say this, however that is going to be my first time in New York Metropolis,” he mentioned. “I’m going to the place the place the music I’m into is going on.”

Bélanger de Beauport, who describes himself as a free improv cellist, was chosen for the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec’s five-month residency in SoHo. This system is open to artists from all disciplines, from visible arts to music and literature, however solely these with greater than 10 years of expertise are eligible to use.

“I had by no means utilized earlier than, however final 12 months I assumed ‘Right here’s a promise to myself: I’m making use of for the primary time for the studio in New York and I’ll be making use of for the following 10 years if I’ve to, however I’m going to go there finally,’” he mentioned. “And I bought it on the primary attempt.”

The grant supplies a choose artist with a furnished house in New York, with the objective of totally immersing them within the metropolis’s artwork scene. It first got here to be in 1981 and dozens of native artists have taken half within the residency since.

“It’s an honour. I used to be chosen on the idea of my work, by my friends, by the CALQ,” Bélanger de Beauport mentioned. “But in addition it’s nice to go to New York and have an house to myself and to only take into consideration my artwork, however in a brand new place, in a brand new approach.”

CALQ estimates it receives between 30 to 40 functions per studio per 12 months and solely two artists are chosen, every getting a half-year keep.

It’s fairly the turnaround since not way back, Bélanger de Beauport was compelled to place his music profession on maintain. He was one in all seven folks stabbed throughout a random sword assault in Quebec Metropolis’s historic district on Halloween evening 2020. Two folks died of their accidents.

“I like that once we speak about my music now, the main target is de facto on the music and never on (the assault),” he mentioned. “However after all, it’s part of me, and it’s part of my expertise, and lots of people in all probability know me simply due to that.”

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Musician injured in Quebec Metropolis sword assault speaks out from hospital

He went by way of almost two years of intensive physiotherapy and ergotherapy after the assault.

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“Something I used to be gaining, was a real achieve. … In November 2020, I couldn’t rise up, so the second I may rise up was such a achieve for my musical life as a result of now I may play standing up … I couldn’t use my fingers for some time, then I may use them,” he defined. “I’m not enthusiastic about what I may do earlier than and I can’t do now. I attempt to not go in that route.”

Bélanger de Beauport has needed to make some minor adjustments to the way in which he performs, however he says he doesn’t see a lot of a distinction in his music.

“My music has at all times been in regards to the physique and respiratory and exploring the boundaries of the physique, and so in that approach, my trajectory as an artist has not modified,” he mentioned. “It’s simply the boundaries of my physique are totally different. The fingers don’t really feel the identical … the shoulders are sort of totally different.”

The cellist hopes to make use of his upcoming residency as a possibility to forge new connections, but in addition to proceed his many ongoing initiatives, together with a vinyl album and 4 compositions.

“I need to see the very best gamers, I need to hear the very best music and hopefully, after all, I’ll be influenced by the music I hear there,” Bélanger de Beauport mentioned. “And likewise it’s such a thriller to me how folks get to reside there, trigger it’s getting tremendous costly.”

Bélanger de Beauport will reside and work in New York till the top of December, after which he hopes to proceed his work with the Ensemble de musique improvisée de Québec.