Photo: Gabriel Fournier

The OSM has always been committed to making symphonic music accessible to as many people as possible, especially to younger audiences, by offering workshops and concerts for both schools and families.

As a result of this commitment, the OSM partnered with music therapist Nathalie Leroux in 2018 to develop the OSMose Project, an initiative focused on enhancing audience accessibility.

This initiative aims to break down the invisible but very real barriers between the concert hall and special needs students by:

To carry out this special project, the OSM is extremely fortunate to have the support of wine expert, author, and philanthropist Michel Phaneuf, who was pleased to assist the development of a project that highlights the extraordinarily enriching and comforting power of music.

Michel Phaneuf published his first Guide du vin (Wine Guide) in the fall of 1981. Over the years, this reference work has become one of the most successful volumes in the history of Quebec publishing, and in 2010 it won an award in Paris for best wine guide in the world.

Over the years, Michel Phaneuf has worked as a columnist, host, and speaker. His prominence as a wine expert has earned him several honours, including a degree honoris causa from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), for “educating and guiding generations of Quebecers.”

In recognition of his professional and philanthropic achievements, Michel Phaneuf was made a Member of the Order of Canada (2015) and a Knight of the Ordre national du Québec (2019).

The OSM enlisted the aid of research, education, and music specialists at various stages of the project. Our warm thanks go to the following: