Denis Bédard (b. 1950) — Aria (from Contrastes) (2017) for organ
Canadian composer Denis Bédard (b. 1950) was born in Quebec City and studied at the Conservatoire de Musique Québec. He also studied in Paris, Montreal, and in Amsterdam with the famed harpsichordist Gustav Leonhardt. As an organist, he has held posts in Quebec City, and is currently director of music at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver. He has been professor of organ at the University of British Columbia and the Conservatoire de Musique Québec. Bédard is one of the leading Canadian composers of his generation, with a catalog of compositions that includes orchestral, vocal, chamber, choral, and many organ works. His music, essentially tonal and melodic, is characterized by a concern for formal clarity and immediate communication.