Jad Orphée C. — Piano Teacher — Outremont, Montreal

Jad Orphée Chami is an artist-researcher specializing in oral history performance, and he is also a composer for film, theater, and dance. Notably, he was nominated for the Iris Prize for Best Original Score for the feature film Antigone, which was submitted by Canada for the 92nd Academy Awards. Holding a BFA in music from Concordia University and an MA in Arts, Technologies, and Creation from the Graduate School of Research ArTeC, he is currently a Ph.D. student in Theatre and the Study and Practices of the Arts at the University of Québec in Montréal, in collaboration with the University Paris Nanterre. Raised in Beirut, having lived in Paris, and currently residing on the unceded Indigenous land of Tiohtià:ke – Mooniyang – Montreal, Orphée's diverse background enriches his artistic perspective. His extensive experience includes composing music for over 20 short films and three feature films, showcased at prestigious festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Beyond cinema, he has contributed compositions for contemporary dance and documentary theatre. He has secured grants and scholarships from institutions such as the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Montreal's arts interculturels, and Columbia University’s Center for Oral History Research. His research-creation master's thesis, supervised by French playwright David Lescot and awarded with the highest honors, explores the intersection of music and oral history in the context of the disappeared of Lebanon. He is pursuing the development of this work within residencies at the Acts of Listening Lab and Imago Theatre. Trained in classical piano at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Beirut, he teaches interpretation and musical awakening, paying particular attention to intercultural approaches related to pedagogy and knowledge transmission.

Teaching Philosophy in Five Points 1. Inspired by the concept of creolization presented by poet Édouard Glissant, my courses aim to create a secure space where each student actively participates in sharing knowledge through their personal history. It is essential for me that the sessions reflect the richness of the musical traditions of Greater Montreal. 2. Drawing on experience in teaching music in multicultural environments, my trilingualism and personal journey enable me to guide students of all ages in discovering their musical potential, recognizing that there is no single way to experience music. 3. As a former piano interpretation student at the conservatory, I advocate for a musical pedagogy that diverges from the more restrictive model I encountered. I encourage each student to develop their own relationship with music, whether through piano, creation, improvisation, or appreciation. 4. This approach is grounded in a solid technical foundation inspired by the Bartók-Reschofsky method, encompassing a thorough exploration of styles and eras, ranging from classical to contemporary, including jazz, pop, rock, as well as film and video game music. 5. The curricula I design are both informative and entertaining, always taking into consideration the aspirations of the students to emphasize the diversity of musical awakenings.