Violist Marina Thibeault’s “plangent tone and expressive phrasing” (The Strad) foreground a great richness in her playing that is on display across various styles. Named Radio-Canada’s classical “Revelation” for 2016-2017, Marina has delighted audiences across Canada, the United States, and Europe with her elegant, spellbinding performances and engaging presence.

An accomplished concerto soloist, Marina has performed with the North Czech Philharmonic, Mariánské Lázně Symphony Orchestra, the Santiago Chamber Orchestra, the Verbier festival, the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Sinfonia Toronto, to mention a few.

An avid chamber musician, Marina has collaborated with members of the Guarneri Quartet, the Cleveland Quartet, Charles-Richard Hamelin, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and Johannes Moser, amongst other renowned chamber musicians. Her interest in new music has led her to work with composers such as John Corigliano, Joan Tower, and Krzysztof Penderecki.

Marina’s first album, Toquade, was released in April 2017 on the ATMA label, and was nominated by the ADISQ and Prix Opus for Album of the Year. Her 2020 JUNO Award-nominated album ELLES honours groundbreaking women composers from Clara Schumann to the present day. A passionate advocate for women’s rights, Thibeault has utilized the broad-ranging ELLES project in various iterations to reach out to at-risk women and raise awareness for organizations that support this important cause. The concert adaptation of ELLES presents a wide-ranging program of works for solo viola by Ana Sokolović, Dorothy Chang, and Melody McKiver.

Marina Thibeault holds numerous honours and distinctions, including prizes from the Père-Lindsay Foundation (2017), “Révélation Radio-Canada” (2016-2017), CBC’s “30 hot classical musicians under 30” (2016), and the Sylva Gelber Foundation (2016). She won first prize in the string category of Prix d’Europe (2015), the McGill Concerto Competition (2015), the Radio-Canada “Young Artist” prize (2007) as well as a special prize at the Beethoven Hradec International Viola Competition (2008).

Marina studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with Michael Tree and Roberto Diaz, at the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana under the tutelage of Bruno Giuranna, and at McGill University with André Roy where she received a Master’s degree. She is currently completing her doctoral degree with Women in Music as primary topic, and secondly, with Sports Psychology Applied to elite musicians. Since the summer of 2018, Marina has coordinated the chamber music program at Domaine Forget, QC, where she also teaches viola since the summer of 2019. Marina Thibeault joinned the faculty of The UBC School of Music as Assistant Professor of Viola and Chamber Music, beginning in the 2019–20 academic year.

A certified Sivananda yoga instructor, Marina integrates mindfulness techniques into her teaching. When not playing the viola or spending time with her children Lucien and Tabea, Marina keeps her hands busy knitting, spinning and sewing.

Marina would like to sincerely thank Canimex for their generous support.