we are ek <ékmailluine>
an interdisciplinary brass ensemble
mime
sound
trumpet
trombone
new creations
project rad//iant
RESEARCH-CREATION AWARDEE
2023-24
LE VIVIER, MONTRÉAL

In partnership with Le Vivier and Code d’Access, ek will develop a new interactive performance concept for very young audiences (under 5). This initiative aims to expose children and parents to multisensory art experiences through active participation, and a body movement approach.
what the ek?
Ek (short for Ékmailluine) is an interdisciplinary brass ensemble dedicated to expanding the artistic possibilities of the brass instrumental family through the creation and presentation of new works and the research and exploration of diverse creative approaches. The collective consists of pioneering artists with an expansive vision of how music can be experienced and shared, a collaboration that draws on the many capacities and interests of our membership including improvisation, theatre, movement, electronics, and instrument design.
Ek is led by the Montréal-based trumpetist Émilie Fortin and trombonist Kalun Leung and was founded in 2022 while in residence at Orford Music in Québec. Their current project, Rad//iant, explores the surprising intersection of mime and sound in the form of wordless stories, or vignettes, that amplify the mundane in everyday life. The project draws inspiration from Québecois comedian Michel Courtemanche, the gesture-based music of Vinko Globokar and Jennifer Walshe, and the Broadway production Stomp.

Émilie Fortin
Trumpet and Creative Producer

Kalun Leung
Trombone and Technical Director