Les Violons du Roy
A Quebec City chamber orchestra known for historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical repertoire on modern instruments.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Les Violons du Roy is a professional chamber orchestra based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1984 by conductor Bernard Labadie, the ensemble developed from productions of Baroque opera at Université Laval, including Dido and Aeneas and L'incoronazione di Poppea. Its name is an adaptation of Les Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi, the orchestra associated with the French royal court in the seventeenth century. The ensemble is built around a relatively small group of string players and is distinguished by a flexible chamber-orchestra sound. Although its musicians generally perform on modern instruments, the orchestra incorporates elements of historically informed performance practice when interpreting seventeenth- and eighteenth-century music. These practices have included the use of bows modeled on historical examples and restrained use of vibrato. This combination allows the orchestra to pursue period-aware articulation and phrasing without limiting itself to original instruments. The orchestra's principal home is the Palais Montcalm in Quebec City. It also regularly performs in Montreal, including at Place des Arts, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and St. James United Church. Its activities extend beyond Quebec through touring, international appearances, recordings and collaborations with singers, instrumental soloists and choral organizations. The ensemble first performed in Europe in 1988, appeared in Washington, D.C., in 1995 and made its New York debut in August 1997. Les Violons du Roy has maintained a close relationship with vocal music. Labadie founded an affiliated chorus in 1985 under the name Ensemble vocal Bernard Labadie; the chorus was renamed La Chapelle de Québec in 1991. The orchestra's recording catalogue has included releases on Dorian, Virgin Classics and ATMA Classique. Its recordings have received significant Canadian recognition, including three Juno Awards for Classical Album of the Year: Handel's Apollo e Dafne and Silete Venti in 2001, Mozart's Requiem in 2003 and Astor Piazzolla's Four Seasons in 2007. Leadership has evolved from Labadie's founding directorship to a succession of guest, resident and artistic collaborators. Labadie became founding conductor after the 2013-2014 period, Jonathan Cohen was appointed music director beginning with the 2017-2018 season, and Nicolas Ellis was appointed principal guest conductor beginning with the 2023-2024 season. According to the supplied reference material, Cohen concluded his music-director tenure at the end of the 2024-2025 season and subsequently became principal director, while Labadie was announced to return as music director from the 2026-2027 season. The ensemble's identity continues to rest on Quebec-based artistic production, historically informed interpretation and international presentation of chamber-orchestral repertoire.
History
Les Violons du Roy emerged in Quebec City in 1984 from Bernard Labadie's work on Baroque opera productions at Université Laval. The initial productions of Dido and Aeneas and L'incoronazione di Poppea supplied the nucleus of the new chamber orchestra. Labadie named the ensemble in reference to Les Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi, the historic French royal court orchestra, adapting the historical association into a modern Quebec musical institution. The orchestra began with approximately fifteen musicians. From the outset, its artistic model was neither a conventional large symphony orchestra nor a strict period-instrument ensemble. Players used modern instruments while drawing on historical performance principles for earlier repertoire. The ensemble has used bows based on period designs and has generally employed limited vibrato in appropriate repertory, alongside attention to articulation, balance and rhetorical phrasing. This approach became a defining part of the orchestra's public identity. Vocal music was an important early component of the organization's development. In 1985 Labadie created an affiliated chorus, initially called Ensemble vocal Bernard Labadie. The chorus adopted the name La Chapelle de Québec in 1991. Together, the orchestra and its choral collaborators supported performances of major sacred and operatic repertoire while the orchestra also developed an independent concert life. The ensemble expanded beyond Quebec relatively early. Its first European performance took place in 1988. It later appeared in Washington, D.C., in 1995 and made its first New York appearance in August 1997. These engagements helped establish Les Violons du Roy as an internationally touring Canadian chamber orchestra rather than a locally focused ensemble. In Quebec, its main venue became the Palais Montcalm in Quebec City, supplemented by recurring Montreal appearances at Place des Arts, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and St. James United Church. Recording became another central part of the orchestra's history. Les Violons du Roy recorded for Dorian, Virgin Classics and ATMA Classique, covering Baroque and Classical works as well as later repertoire. Its recordings generated three Juno Awards for Classical Album of the Year: the 2001 award for Handel's Apollo e Dafne and Silete Venti, the 2003 award for Mozart's Requiem and the 2007 award for Piazzolla's Four Seasons. The combination of touring, recordings and regular Quebec seasons broadened the ensemble's reach and reinforced its reputation for polished, historically aware chamber-orchestral performance. Labadie served as music director from the orchestra's foundation until 2014. During the 2014-2015 season his title changed to founding conductor, reflecting a transition in the organization's leadership. The ensemble also worked with other artistic figures, including principal guest conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni, resident conductor Eric Paetkau, associate conductor Mathieu Lussier and principal artistic partner Anthony Marwood. In 2016 the orchestra announced Jonathan Cohen as its next music director, effective with the 2017-2018 season. Nicolas Ellis was later announced as principal guest conductor from the 2023-2024 season. The supplied reference material records a further leadership transition in 2025: Cohen concluded his music-director tenure at the end of the 2024-2025 season and became principal director, while Labadie was announced to return as music director from the 2026-2027 season. Across these changes, the ensemble's core proposition has remained consistent: a small, highly specialized orchestra from Quebec offering historically informed interpretations, prominent vocal collaborations, recordings and international performances.
- 2025
Leadership succession announced
[1]The supplied reference records Cohen's move to principal director and Labadie's announced return as music director for 2026-2027.
- 2023
Nicolas Ellis begins principal guest-conductor tenure
[1]Ellis assumed the principal guest conductor role from the 2023-2024 season.
- 2017
Jonathan Cohen begins music-director tenure
[1]Cohen became music director beginning with the 2017-2018 season.
- 2014
Founding-conductor transition
[1]Labadie's title changed from music director to founding conductor around the 2014-2015 season.
- 2007
Third listed Juno Award
[1]The ensemble won Classical Album of the Year for Piazzolla's Four Seasons.
- 2003
Second listed Juno Award
[1]The ensemble won Classical Album of the Year for Mozart's Requiem.
- 2001
First listed Juno Award
[1]The orchestra won Classical Album of the Year for a Handel recording featuring Apollo e Dafne and Silete Venti.
- 1997
New York debut
[1]Les Violons du Roy first appeared in New York City in August.
- 1995
Washington debut
[1]The orchestra gave its first performance in Washington, D.C.
- 1991
Chorus renamed La Chapelle de Québec
[1]The affiliated chorus changed its name from Ensemble vocal Bernard Labadie to La Chapelle de Québec.
Products and positioning
A Quebec-rooted chamber orchestra combining modern instruments with historically informed performance practices, with a repertoire spanning Baroque, Classical and selected later works.
Classical music performance · 1984
Live concert performances
The orchestra's core offering consists of chamber-orchestra concerts presented in Quebec City, Montreal and touring destinations. Programs draw substantially on Baroque and Classical repertoire, while the ensemble also performs selected later works. Its relatively compact forces support transparent textures, close ensemble interaction and flexible collaboration with soloists and vocal groups.
Classical recordings
Commercial recordings
Les Violons du Roy has released recordings through labels including Dorian, Virgin Classics and ATMA Classique. The catalogue includes Handel, Mozart and Piazzolla, reflecting the orchestra's combination of historically informed interpretation and a broader chamber-orchestral repertoire. Several recordings received major Canadian recognition, including three Juno Awards for Classical Album of the Year.
Choral and vocal music · 1985
La Chapelle de Québec collaborations
The affiliated chorus founded by Bernard Labadie in 1985 began as Ensemble vocal Bernard Labadie and was renamed La Chapelle de Québec in 1991. Its relationship with the orchestra supports performances of choral, sacred and operatic repertoire and extends the ensemble's work beyond instrumental chamber music.
Brand decisions
2025
Music-director succession announcedStrategyBackground
The orchestra announced a transition following the conclusion of Cohen's music-director tenure at the end of the 2024-2025 season.
Action taken
Cohen became principal director, and Labadie was announced to return as music director effective with the 2026-2027 season.
Aftermath
The plan reconnects the orchestra with its founder while preserving Cohen's continuing leadership role as principal director.
2022
Nicolas Ellis appointed principal guest conductorStrategyBackground
The ensemble expanded its conducting leadership structure with a new principal guest-conductor appointment.
Action taken
Ellis was appointed effective with the 2023-2024 season.
Aftermath
The appointment added a principal guest-conductor role alongside the orchestra's music-director leadership.
2016
Jonathan Cohen appointed music directorStrategyBackground
The orchestra sought a successor to its founding music-director era.
Action taken
Les Violons du Roy announced Cohen's appointment, effective with the 2017-2018 season.
Aftermath
Cohen led the orchestra as music director through the 2024-2025 season, according to the supplied reference material.
2013
Bernard Labadie shifts to founding-conductor roleStrategyBackground
After three decades as the orchestra's music director, Labadie's role was repositioned around the 2014-2015 season.
Action taken
The ensemble changed his title from music director to founding conductor.
Aftermath
The change created a leadership transition while retaining Labadie's continuing association with the orchestra.
Sources2 sources
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