Lorraine Desmarais - Compagne des arts et des lettres du Québec
On June 9, 2025, Lorraine Desmarais received the insignia of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec, a prestigious distinction bestowed to personalities whose exemplary achievements reflect the artistic and literary development of Quebec. Discover the tribute paid to her by the CALQ.
At age five, Lorraine Desmarais found her calling on the keyboard of a toy piano. At age 12, she wrote her first composition. When she heard Chick Corea and Oscar Peterson, a chasm opened up in her musical world, which until that point had been classical. The winds of freedom blew through her imagination and transported her into a groove, where she discovered the joys of improvisation and the headiness of a conversation without words.
The pianist and composer became an arranger and conductor. Through her versatility and creativity, she earned acclaim in trios and big bands, in addition to film scores and collaborations with symphony orchestras. Combining the rigour of writing and quality of execution, this virtuoso delights the audience with spectacular flights of creativity. Over five decades and four continents, her career has earned her international acclaim.
Thirteen albums and countless awards and honours are testimony to her enormous contribution to the heritage of a musical genre, conveying its richness through her many projects. An outstanding educator, she has trained and continues to inspire generations of students. From a jazz pioneer, Lorraine Desmarais has become a pillar of the genre.
The Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec is a distinction of the Council which aims to honor people who have made a remarkable contribution, through their commitment and dedication, to the development, promotion or influence of the arts and letters of Quebec.
The CALQ would like to thank its partners, the Caisse de la Culture and the newspaper Le Devoir.
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