Serge Arcuri: Territories
I present a brief portrait of the Quebec composer Serge Arcuri, sketched on the theme of territories—both literal and figurative. I write about the territory explored by Arcuri’s mentor Gilles Tremblay, which is shared by so many Quebec composers, and also the territory that forges personal, creative, and poetic identities. The article records an informal, cordial meeting that took place in the fall of 2016, during which we had a freeform discussion about his career, the musical environment in which he developed, his unusual evolution, his studies at the Montreal Conservatoire, the influences that helped shape his personality, and the elements of his musical language. We also discussed some of his most important works. In short, a far-reaching tour of Arcuri’s territories.