Geneviève Soly is one of the central figures of baroque music in Quebec. She is well- known for her many talents : as a musical soloist performer on the organ and harpsichord as well as musical director of Les Idées heureuses ; as a musicologist for her major contribution to the rediscovery of Christoph Graupner ; as a pedagogue and sought-after speaker and lecturer and as an arts administrator who has been founding and directing Les Idées heureuses for 35 years. She was an Adjunct Professor of musicology at the Université de Montréal and had sit on several arts sector advisory councils.
Geneviève Soly was nine years old when she realized she was going to be a performer. This revelation came as she listened to an LP recording of Sviatoslav Richer playing Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke. Schumann remains one of the composers dearest to her heart.
Her tireless work for the dissemination of baroque music was recognized by the Prix Opus, awarded by the Conseil québécois de la musique in the category of Personnalité de l’année in 1997. She was named La Personnalité de la semaine by the Montreal daily La Presse in its April 2, 2006 edition. She was invited to sign the Livre d’or de la ville de Montreal at an official ceremony on May 6, 2010, in recognition of her international stature as an authority on Graupner. Previously, she won the Second Prize at Paul Hofhaimer Competition for early music (organ) in Insbruck (1978) and the First Prize at John Robb organ Competition in Montréal (1976).
In 2025, Breitkopf and Härtel will be publishing her edition of the first volume of Graupner’s works for harpsichord. She is the first Canadian editor to work for this publisher.
As a performer, besides hundreds of solo recitals, Geneviève Soly has played with gambist Jay Bernfeld, with violinist Viktoria Mullova and harpsichordist Andreas Staier. Since 2006, she has given solo performances at the Centre de musique baroque in Versailles, at the Bruges and Utrecht early music festivals, at BOZAR in Brussels, as well as in Modena, Pontoise, Basel, Frankfurt and Berlin. Her seven recordings of Graupner’s harpsichord music on ANALEKTA label have received international acclaim and numerous prizes.
Geneviève Soly is the twin sister of Isolde Lagacé, emerit director of the Bourgie Concert Hall at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. She is mother of well known humorist Arnaud Soly and percussionist Matthias Soly-Letarte.
This award draws its meaning from Paul Creston’s personal creed that is deeply rooted in the spiritual nature of composition and expression through the arts. St. Malachy’s – The Actors’ Chapel will present this award annually to a distinguished artist who embodies the Creston Creed, excellence in the arts, and is a significant figure in church music and the performing arts.
In 2009, The Paul Creston Award was established for the purpose of celebrating the legacy of Paul Creston at the Church of St. Malachy - The Actors' Chapel and for honoring leading figures in the field of music, its performance, scholarship, performance and composition. The award is also a tool for supporting the Paul Creston Memorial Pipe Organ Campaign (completed in 2012), the liturgical ministry, and artistic outreach to the community through its acclaimed and unique concert series.
2009 - Frederick Swann
2010 - Bruce Neswick
2012 - David Higgs
2014 - Janette Fishell
2015 - Stephen Tharp
2016 - Jennifer Higdon
2017 - Timothy Sun & Cindy Ho
2018 - Dr. Jennifer Pascual
2019 - Dr. John A. Romeri
2022 - David Briggs
2024 - Geneviève Soly