MARTIN TRUDEL

Martin was born in Ste-Thécle, Mauricie, Québec.      At the age of 5, he built his own guitars out of Kleenex boxes and elastics.

He began his formal training in 1987, studying classical guitar with Jean-Paul Rajotte, and jazz with Alain Hénault at Cégep de Drummondville. He specialized in contemporary music at Université du Québec with Alvaro Pierri. Interested in uniting his musical pursuits with other artistic mediums, primarily dance, he looked to an existing art form where the guitar plays a principal role: flamenco. He began his studies with Patrick Schupp for the accompaniment of singing and dance, and attended many workshops with visiting guitarists from Spain such as Antonio Jero, Arcadio Marin, Pasqual de Lorca, Oscar Guzman and Angel de Cordoba.

The exploration of the dramatic and emotional qualities in flamenco, integrated into the cerebral and conceptual aspects of contemporary music, greatly influenced Martin's artistic direction. It was through flamenco that he reinforced his capacities to read dance as a partition.

His artistic goals have been dedicated to uniting, confronting, and innovating dance, music, flamenco, and improvisation in the most authentic and original manner possible. Examples: the use of electric and/or prepared guitar in flamenco, invented techniques with objects such as knitting needles, rocks, paper and hammers, and a physical/choreographic approach to playing inspired by dance.

Along with his research, composition and performances in SASASA, Martin has played with different artists in traditional flamenco tablaos (Gitano, l'Escogriffe, Taza Flores) in Montréal and in Drummondville, Nicolet, and Sherbrooke. He also teaches guitar and accompanies flamenco dance classes.

In contemporary music, he has performed with guitarist Martin Verreault (improvisation/composition), as well as various multi-media performances involving poetry, puppetry, painting and cooking...

Renowned for his intuition and creativity, Martin is on an unending quest for new sounds, techniques and musical inspirations.