Instructor, Desautels Faculty of Music
Room 319 Taché Hall
150 Dafoe Road
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
Elise Lavallée
Lavallée began her viola studies at Le Conservatoire de Musique de Québec with Douglas McNabney and François Paradis. After being offered a full scholarship from The Manhattan School of Music, she moved to New York and completed a Master of Music under tutelage of Emmanuel Vardi, Cynthia Phelps and violinist Patinka Kopec. Lavallée further pursued her studies earning an Artist Diploma from McGill University.
In the faculty
- Instructor, Viola
- Chamber Music, Coach
- Orchestra, String sectional, Coach
Education
- BA, Conservatoire de Musique de Québec
- MMus, Manhattan School of Music
- Artist Diploma, McGill University
Performance Highlights
Lavallée joined the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 1997 as Assistant Principal Viola and is currently acting as Principal Viola. In addition to her work with WSO, she has appeared with numerous orchestras in Canada and the United States. Lavallée regularly performs chamber music and solo recitals with various ensembles including Winnipeg Chamber Music Society, Virtuosi, Groundswell, Music at the Millennium, Camerate Nova, Canzona, Winnipeg Art Gallery, WSO Home Recitals, Rosamunde Festivals, Music N'Mavens, Skywalk Concerts, Winnipeg New Music Festival, Eckhardt Grammatte Hall, La Chapelle du Bon-Pasteur Montreal, Montreal Chamber Music Festival and La Cinquième Salle de la Place Des Arts. Lavallée has appeared as a soloist with the WSO and the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra.
Ongoing research and creative works
An enthusiastic communicator and dedicated teacher, Lavallée has been maintaining a very active viola teaching studio, chamber music and chamber orchestra coach. She is a sought-after speaker, giving lectures on subjects like music as a career, music and wellness, as well as music appreciations at L'Université St-Boniface. Lavallée has also been very active for the past 15 years as a columnist at Radio-Canada Manitoba and CJOB Manitoba, as well as hosting the WSO's podcast series, The Silence Between. She has also held various administrative positions at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and hosted the WSO's Pre-concert Talks. She has served as a member of the WSO and Rosamunde Summer Music Academy Boards of Directors. In the francophone community, she founded Les Grands Concerts de la Cathédrale St-Boniface and Les Café-Concerts at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre.