May 28, 2015 – Québec – The National Battlefields Commission
The National Battlefields Commission is proud to present its 23rd season of free summer concerts on the Plains of Abraham. Over the years, over 600,000 spectators have gathered to hear close to 3,000 artists from near and far at the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand, the perennially popular outdoor stage that has seen over 1,000 different acts performing in exceptional surroundings. This year the Bandstand continues its summer tradition with a diverse lineup of top notch musical programming: 28 outdoor evening concerts from June 11 to July 5 and from July 23 to August 9, Thursdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. New groups and old favourites alike are on the bill. Get ready for a summer of music at the Bandstand!
The summer at a glance
- From jazz to blues, from oldies to country, and with world music, Quebec acts, rock, pop, folk, and traditional in between, discover passionate artists excited to share their sounds: Martine St-Clair, Frédérick de Grandpré, Wesli, Valérie Clio, Lost Fingers, Élizabeth Blouin-Brathwaite, and so many more! See our website for the full list of shows.
- Singer Guy Dussault and musical director François Moison will lead two Bandstand Varieties concerts with the Abraham Band. You’ll love the first Varieties show on Sunday, June 14, which brings together several artists from the 2015 summer season: Annie Blanchard, Marie-Noëlle Claveau, Jeanick Fournier, Jean-François Lambert and Kenneth Saulnier. The second Varieties, which closes the season on August 9, will take you back and get you groovin’ to the oldies with Patrick Zabé, Guy Harvey and Pierre Perpall.
- For the fourth year in a row, concertgoers will be invited to vote for their favourite artist of the season—the act that moved them and brought them to their feet! The form for voting will be available at the start of the season at www.theplainsofabraham.ca. Last year’s winner, Black Divas, will be back this season on July 5. The winner for the 2015 season will be announced August 10.
- As part of its ongoing efforts to care for the environment and preserve this unique heritage for future generations, the National Battlefields Commission encourages Bandstand enthusiasts to view the program online, complete with artist photos and descriptions. The print version will still be available onsite. Concertgoers can share their comments and reviews of Bandstand concerts on our Facebook page. And a hotline will provide weekly concert listings—dial (418) 648-4050.
- On show nights, all are invited to come on foot, by bus, to rideshare or, for $8, to park their car near the Bandstand. A parking attendant will be at the green tent to direct drivers starting at 5 p.m. The entrance is via Avenue Wolfe-Montcalm across from Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec heading towards the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand.
- Built between 1991 and 1992 and inaugurated in 1993, the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand is named after a musical luminary of the Québec City region. Captain Edwin Bélanger was a violinist, violist, conductor, arranger, composer, and professor who enjoyed a varied and rewarding career. Born in Montmagny on November 18, 1910, Edwin Bélanger guided the destinies of major orchestras such as Cercle Philharmonique de Québec (which he founded in 1935 and conducted for seven years), Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, and La Musique du Royal 22e Régiment (1937-61), which acquired an enviable international reputation under his baton. He died on January 14, 2005.
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Contact
Nathalie Allaire
Outreach and Media Officer
Communications Division
The National Battlefields Commission
418-648-4801, nathalie.allaire@ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
