The Les Portageux band from Quebec, Canada speak with members of the local media about their concert which is part of the francophone week in Qatar. FROM LEFT: Yanic Boudreau, Julie Cossette and Stéphane Doyon. Pic: Qassim Rahmatullah / The Peninsula
A Canadian band will enthrall the Doha audience tonight with a mix of pure oral tradition and contemporary composition of Francophone music at the Katara – Drama Theatre.
The concert by ‘Les Portageux’ is organised as part of the Journées de la Francophonie in Qatar and to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation.
The three member, Les Portageux come from Quebec, Canada, and they will play around 20 songs of live and rhythmic music. Also rhythm created by tapping, known as one of the main features of the Canadian Francophone music will be showcased.
“Our goal is to share about our history and the francophone culture, in some of our songs,” said Julie Cossette a member of Les Portageux, addressing a press conference yesterday at Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel.
“We play folk and traditional mix of Irish tunes with French songs that we are inherited from as our ancestors came to Canada from France 300 years ago. We have our own twist which is a little bit country and folk side to it,” she added.
Julie will be on vocals, as well as play jaw harp, banjo and fiddle. Her colleague Stéphane Doyon will be playing guitar and doing the famous feet tapping and Yanic Boudreau will play fiddle, banjo and sing during the concert.
Although the songs will be in French, the band members promise language won’t be a barrier in enjoying their concert.
“The music will make you bit dance on your chair, it will be really entertaining and we will explain the sings as we will sing only in French,” said Julie. Les Portageux performed in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait as part of their tour to the region to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation.
Sharing their experience in the region, Yanic who is in Qatar for the second time said, “Traditions and cultures across the regions are definitely different, but the exchanges at the musical level is interesting. Music in terms of the energy and beats is universal, you don’t need to essentially understand the language but can be musically connected.”
The name ‘Les Portageux’ meaning to carry something in local Canadian language, which also symbolize that in the ancient days people in Canada used to cut wood and carry.
“In the old time there was only woods and forest in Canada. They need to cut trees and bring them to make camps. As musicians we try to carry our traditions, luckily today we carry it to the Middle East,” said Julie.
The concert by ‘Les Portageux’ will be held at Katara – Drama Theatre (building 16) tonight between 7am and 8.30pm. The event is free and open to the public. Seats can be reserved by registering through [email protected] .
