About us
Learn more about the Centre des musiciens du monde
Mission
The Centre des musiciens du monde (CMM), a Nonprofit formed and based in Montreal, is a place of creation, education, dissemination and research dedicated to developing, enhancing and promoting the world’s musical traditions. A hub of innovation, welcoming and exchange, the CMM wishes to transmit the richness of these traditions within its community and on the international stage, to enrich the world’s cultural heritage, participate in its evolution, celebrate its diversity and promote its benefits.
Through its integrated and bold approach, the CMM is working to build a vision of an inclusive, dynamic, and generous society.
A word from the Directors
The choice of Solomon’s knot to symbolize the Musicians’ Centre rests on the universality inspired by its lines, which can cross the entire universe without ever stopping, radiating from a central point which symbolizes universal human values, while the variety of different blues represents the specific characteristics of the various musical cultures of the world, and the greater or lesser degrees of knowledge that we have about them. Accordingly, the mission which the Musicians’ Centre has chosen is to promote the diversity of the world’s musical traditions as a space for gathering around universal human values.
Kiya Tabassian
Artistic director
Centre des musiciens du monde
Frédéric Léotar
General manager
Centre des musiciens du monde
World musicians featured at traditional music events
World music lessons and workshops for all ages
Turnkey workshops for daycare centers, schools and community organizations
Frédéric Léotar
Executive Director
Co-founder and Executive Director of the Centre, Frédéric manages and develops the organisation in support of its artistic and social mission. He undertakes the organization of various projects to promote the recognition of musicians from different traditions and greater linkage with academic institutions and the public.
Recognized specialist in music of oral tradition in Siberia and in Central Asia (PhD), Dr. Léotar is a teacher, lecturer and consultant (UNESCO). His research projects have been repeatedly supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). He is a regular member of the Observatory of Interdisciplinary Research and Creation in Music (OICRM).
Kiya Tabassian
Artistic Director
As Constantinople’s artistic director, Kiya Tabassian supervised the creation of about 40 new works with accomplished musicians from different traditions in more than 130 cities around the world. As the Centre’s artistic director, Kiya Tabassian will develop the artistic vision, manage the musicians’ residencies and extend the Centre’s artistic activities.
Sylvianne Lagueux-Tremblay
Coordinator - Cultural Outreach
Sylvianne, holder of a Bachelor‘s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Montreal, is interested in the oral traditions and the cultural productions of local communities. She has participated in the development of various community-based projects and citizen’s initiatives in New York, Guatemala and Montreal in the past years. She is committed to maintaining good relations between the various members of the community. Sylvianne’s mission at the Centre is to coordinate the artistic and pedagogical activities between musicians and artists, and schools, families and the public.
Milan Simas
Responsable à la diffusion
Titulaire d‘une maîtrise en Musicologie (Université d’Amsterdam), Milan a travaillé d‘abord en partenariats chez MUTEK, Les Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma, M pour Montréal, et Mundial Montréal. Passionné de musique du monde et musicien lui-même, il occupe le rôle d’agent de spectacles pour les projets musicaux représentés par le centre qui sont exportés au Québec et à travers le monde.
Audrey Gauthier
Communications manager
Passionate about classical music since childhood, Audrey has been fully committed to promoting arts and culture in Quebec for over 10 years. With a bachelor‘s degree in music and a master’s degree in music mediation (University of Montreal) as well as a master‘s degree in cultural organization management (HEC Montreal), she puts her expertise to work on innovative cultural projects. As Communications Manager, she promotes the Centre’s many activities across all its platforms.
Alexis Ruel
Administrative and customer service agent
Musicologist by training and cultural manager, Alexis holds a master’s degree in musicology from the University of Montreal and a postgraduate degree in cultural organization management from HEC Montreal. He specializes in the study of the reception and impact of culture on the social sphere. As an administrative and customer service agent, his mandate is to oversee the day-to-day management of the Center and its spaces and to ensure that visitors are welcomed.
Elise Charbonneau
President
Dedicated to cultural management for over 20 years, Elise Charbonneau is an excellent strategist,
results-oriented and endowed with an entrepreneurial spirit, Elise Charbonneau is a manager who has built an extensive network and is recognized for her expertise in helping projects grow and evolve with impact.
After 19 years as Director of Development, Financing and Events at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Elise Charbonneau is now Director General of Cirque Éloize.
Hala Khattar
Board member
Born in Montreal, Hala grew up in Lebanon before settling in Montreal in 2016.
Trained as an engineer and a manufacturing entrepreneur for many years, Hala has been an IT consultant and business analyst since 2020. She discovered the arts and artists through her entrepreneurial spouse in the world of art galleries, exhibitions and events. Very dynamic, she is often involved in or the source of new projects for her community and environment. Motivated by the satisfaction of a job well done, as well as by team involvement and the process used to achieve objectives, Hala is known for getting her whole team on board with projects and taking the time to appreciate the victories.
Vincent Barberger
Board member
With a solid background in business development and strategic coaching, Vincent Barberger is an entrepreneur with a passion for transforming sales teams to reach their full potential. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Centre des musiciens du Monde and Chairman of the Financing Committee, Vincent brings proven know-how in leadership, team management and business process optimization. Having contributed to the growth of numerous companies, he will use his expertise to strengthen the Centre‘s influence and develop innovative means of financing, thus ensuring its sustainability and cultural impact. Vincent has also been active in the Association des MBA du Québec and is involved in the Fondation de l’École Louis H. Lafontaine Foundation, illustrating his commitment to local initiatives.
Martine Quemin
Board member
Having worked for over 20 years in the cultural and artistic milieu for organizations such as Cavalia and Les Grands Ballets, Martine Quemin, CPA, has acquired extensive experience in finance and management in this sector. Passionate about the arts, she enjoys working in this field and believes it is essential to use her knowledge to support the mission of the CMM, an organization that is particularly close to her heart.
Alain Fournier
Board member
Alain Fournier, architect, is a founding member of EVOQ architecture. He has been working with the Inuit and First Nations for over forty years. He works in the Canadian territories of Inuit Nunangat (Nunavik, Nunavut, and Nunatsiavut). He also works with the Cree of Eeyou Istchee, the Mi‘gmaq, the Wolastoqiyik, the Innu, the Kanien’kehá:ka, the Nehirowisiw, and the Anishinaabe.
For many years, his work with various Indigenous communities has supported their stated desire to decolonize and indigenize the architecture and built environment of their communities. Thanks to his longstanding commitment, he has become a respected interlocutor for the Inuit and First Nations and a facilitator of dialogue between nations. He has been a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Indigenous Task Force since its founding in 2016.
Alain Fournier was awarded the 2022 Ernest Cormier Award. This award is the highest distinction awarded by the Government of Quebec in the field of land use planning, architecture, or design in Quebec. It recognizes his overall achievements in improving the quality of life of Inuit and First Nations peoples, supporting their stewardship of their environment, and contributing to the education of his peers and students about their realities.
Kiya Tabassian
Artistic Director
As Constantinople’s artistic director, Kiya Tabassian supervised the creation of about 40 new works with accomplished musicians from different traditions in more than 130 cities around the world. As the Centre’s artistic director, Kiya Tabassian will develop the artistic vision, manage the musicians’ residencies and extend the Centre’s artistic activities.
Frédéric Léotar
Executive Director
Co-founder and Executive Director of the Centre, Frédéric manages and develops the organisation in support of its artistic and social mission. He undertakes the organization of various projects to promote the recognition of musicians from different traditions and greater linkage with academic institutions and the public.
Recognized specialist in music of oral tradition in Siberia and in Central Asia (PhD), Dr. Léotar is a teacher, lecturer and consultant (UNESCO). His research projects have been repeatedly supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). He is a regular member of the Observatory of Interdisciplinary Research and Creation in Music (OICRM).
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