Richard de Grandmont

Originally from Ottawa, Richard de Grandmont made his musical debut with Les Baladins and Les Cadets LaSalle, Junior A drum corps of North American renown. He won many championships with this last formation including Best Drum Line, World Open Championships 1972 in Lynn (Boston), Mass. U.S.A at the age of 15. First place was also awarded the following year at the Canadian Individual Competition in Toronto with the LaSalle Cadet Drum Quartet.

Following his studies at L'École secondaire De LaSalle, he studied percussion at the University of Ottawa before embarking on a career as a drummer-percussionist with various ensembles in the Outaouais area (Blue Current Preserve Swing Band, The Lap Band, Les Cadillacs, Vern Isaac, The Trespassing Beanrays, etc.) and with several Franco-Ontarian artists (Purlaine, Michel Paiement, Paul Demers, Josée Lajoie, etc.). During that period he became in turn agent, manager, presenter and record producer.

He was co-founder and first executive director of the Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM), held communications and market development positions for young audience theatre companies in Montréal and Québec City and was project manager for various artists and organizations. His expertise also allows him to coordinate the production of albums and various concerts and touring projects with the big band and the trio of renowned jazz pianist Lorraine Desmarais. Richard has now been Coordinator of the Centre d'Expérimentation Musicale since early 2019.