Sault Pianist Heads to Brazil Following Album Release, Loft Performance
SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – Sault Ste. Marie pianist Anne Deschenes is preparing for a performance tour in Brazil following the release of her album,Wanderings,and a recent performance at The Loft. The album features commissioned pieces, primarily by Brazilian composers, and was recorded at The Loft in 2024.
Deschenes’ passion for Afro-Latin music began during her studies at California State University, where she worked with Paul De Castro, director of the Afro-Latin music program. “It was classical music but it had a different flavor to it.It just felt different. It sounded different.To me it was a very intriguing world and so I kind of dove head frist into it,” Deschenes said. “I love that music and I want more people to know about it.”
She commissioned seven composers – six of them Brazilian – to wriet pieces for Wanderings. A documentary produced by local filmmaker Dan Nystedt, portraying the album’s recording, has also been released.
A versatile musician, Deschenes’ background includes jazz, classical, and salsa performances.Originally from Granby, Quebec, she began piano lessons after her mother purchased a digital piano. She pursued formal music education, earning an advanced diploma in jazz at Toronto’s humber College, a master’s degree in afro-Latin music at California State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Claremont Graduate University, both located in Los Angeles.
“Music means something to everybody. It’s part of everybody’s life. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else as a career,” Deschenes stated. “if I can do something that makes me happy and makes somebody else happy too, then why wouldn’t I do it?”
prior to her trip, Deschenes performed the commissioned pieces at The Loft in May 2023. She will return to The Loft on Friday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.for a show entitled Back from Brazil. Tickets are available at https://algomaconservatory.com/the-store/p/n4ftquqdlnmkteiogsw6dr6zzgb43k.
More information on Deschenes and her music can be found on her website: https://www.aadpiano.com/.A SooToday video interview with Deschenes is available at https://www.sootoday.com/local-news-videos/video-sault-pianist-travelling-to-brazil-to-perform-11270743.