Program: Le Vent Du Nord

Le Vent du Nord
Saturday, March 25, 2023
The Berklee Performance Center

Le Vent du Nord celebrated its 20th anniversary last year with the release of 20 Printemps on January 28, 2022. The recording was nominated in the Traditional Album of the Year category, and the band was also nominated in the Vocal Group of the Year category at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Le Vent du Nord is continuing to tour the U.S. in celebration of its 20th anniversary. 

Le Vent du Nord began by chance, when a fire alarm brought musicians Nicolas Boulerice and Oliver Demers out of their practice rooms at music school. Boulerice, who plays the hurdy-gurdy, noticed Demers, who was holding his fiddle, and asked if he knew any old tunes. Demers answered yes, and Le Vent du Nord was born. Boulerice and Demers are now joined by multi-instrumentalist Réjean Brunet, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Simon Beaudry, and violinist André Brunet. 

Since its inception in August 2002, Le Vent du Nord has enjoyed meteoritic success, performing more than 1,800 concerts in over five continents, 11 album releases, and a number of prestigious awards including a Grand Prix du Disque Charles Cros, two Junos (Canada’s Grammys), a Félix at ADISQ, a Canadian Folk Music Award, and “Artist of the Year” at the North American Folk Alliance Annual Gala. 

The group exhibits great finesse and flexibility, appearing regularly on Canadian, American, French, and UK television and radio, and participating in a wide variety of special musical projects. They’ve collaborated and performed with a diverse range of artists including: Harry Manx, Väsen, Dervish, The Chieftains, Breton musical pioneer Yann-Fañch Kemener, Québecois roots legend and master storyteller Michel Faubert, the Scottish folk band Breabach, singer Julie Fowlis, and the trans-Mediterranean ensemble Constantinople. 

On stage these five friends create intense, joyful, and dynamic live performances that expand the bounds of tradition in striking global directions.