History

The Jeunesses Musicales movement are founded in Brussels in July 1940, during World War II, by the Frenchman René Nicoly and the Belgian Marcel Cuvelier, in response to the growing indoctrination of young people by the Nazi movement. They firmly believed that the universal language of music would be able to combat the forces of racism and intolerance.

In 1945, an international federation was founded, today known as Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI). This worldwide non-governmental organization now brings together over 40 member countries and 30 observer countries.

Jeunesses Musicales of Canada (JMC) was founded in 1949, at the instigation of the late Gilles Lefebvre. Two years later, JMC set up the Orford music camp, today known as the Orford Arts Centre, and in 1970, the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra.

Since its foundation, JM Canada has organized concert tours for most of Canada's leading young artists, including well-known names such as Joseph Rouleau, Maureen Forrester, Marek Jablonski, the Orford Quartet, Louis Quilico, James Campbell, André Moisan, Aline Kutan, James Ehnes, Marie-Nicole Lemieux and many others.

In 1972, the "Sons et Brioches" series was launched as a co-production with Place des Arts in Montreal, offering families a wide range of programmes at the Piano nobile in Place des Arts in a relaxed atmosphere. The "Cushion Concerts" series and the Kinderconcerts series were launched respectively in 1981 in Toronto (at the Harbourfront centre, now under the name Music with Bite) and  in 2004 in Ottawa (at the National Arts Centre), with similar objectives.