The OSM Carnival  ^2025-2026

Named Artistic Director of the Year at the 2022 Opus Awards, Julien Proulx has been at the helm of the Orchestre symphonique de Drummondville (OSD) since 2014, where his thoughtful and audacious programming has revitalized the musical life of his community. A generous and imaginative musician, his ability to think outside the box led him to explore alternative musical ventures during the pandemic, including innovative digital projects and unique concert events. By turning restrictions into opportunities, he found new ways of reaching audiences while empowering musicians to express their creativity.

With the OSD, Julien Proulx has twice been awarded the Prix Opus Régions by the Conseil québécois de la musique: first in 2018 for the orchestra’s Prince et Tsar concert and then in 2020 for its Bel Canto concert, two events where the vocal arts took centre stage.

A cellist and singer by training, he is also a renowned choral conductor, frequently leading performances of symphonic choral repertoire.

Julien Proulx was conductor-in-residence for the I Musici de Montréal chamber ensemble, working under Maestro Yuli Turovsky. He has also conducted orchestras across Canada, including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Orchestre Métropolitain, Les Violons du Roy, the Orchestre du Festival international de Lanaudière and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

Whether as a teacher or in his role as artistic director, Julien Proulx is always eager to mentor up and coming conductors and musicians and to share his passion for music with the public.

Martin Gougeon is a multidisciplinary creator. He played the cello in his youth, and subsequently chose to express himself through theatre. Since completing his training as an actor, he has appeared in over 30 theatrical productions. Martin is also an active director and author, with some twenty comedies to his credit. He also had the pleasure of travelling to Chile to write and direct the circus show Klima.

As an author, Martin Gougeon has published 15 volumes of the collections Petit théâtre and Bêtes de scène, two of which have been translated into Spanish and distributed in South America. He has served as Artistic Director of the Théâtre de l’Ancien presbytère since 2001 and is a proud collaborator of the OSM.

Jean-Willy Kunz is the organist-in-residence of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. A member of the OSM since 2013, he studied at the Conservatoires de musique in Grenoble, Lyon, and Montreal, as well as at McGill University. In 2011, he was awarded the Richard Bradshaw Audience Prize at the Canadian International Organ Competition. He has performed as a soloist with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Les Violons du Roy, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and has premiered numerous works by notable composers. 

In addition to his orchestral career, Jean-Willy is also an organ professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and serves as Artistic Director of the Canadian International Organ Competition.