The pianist

If she digs deep into her memory, Monique F. Leroux remembers being rocked by music. First by her father. Every evening, he would play the most beautiful opera arias or pieces by the greatest pianists. “I come from a very modest family, but we were culturally rich,” explains Monique F. Leroux. “My father had a very complete collection of books and records. So I listened to the complete opera and classical piano repertoire from a very young age.”

At the age of six, little Monique began formally studying piano, participating in Canadian Music Competitions and then studying at the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique in Montreal. " Beyond the emotion that music arouses in me, playing the piano has given me a lot of discipline, self-control, stress management and the pleasure of being able to play complete pieces as I progress. "

In total, she completed around fifteen years of structured piano studies before switching to accounting and management studies. The woman who loved human contact so much finally chose a path that allowed her to interact more with people on a daily basis.

Despite her change of direction, Monique F. Leroux continued to teach piano for a few years and to play for fun, for friends and family. “In recent years, I have had the opportunity to accompany a choir of employees and managers of the Mouvement Desjardins to raise funds for foundations. I am unable to play as I did at the age of 20, but I can still compose pieces and have a certain ability to read. I really enjoy learning a score and getting through it.”

Her favorites are those of Chopin, Bach and Beethoven. Recently, she also enrolled in the Gregory Academy of Gregory Charles out of curiosity for his learning method inherited from her mother and which involves 10 minutes of practice every day.

The music lover

The music that occupies the largest place in her life is the music she listens to and that navigates through styles and eras. "I listen to it regularly. The wonderful thing about the Internet is having access to radio stations around the world, some of which broadcast concerts."

Beyond the atmosphere and the background sound it creates, music brings a moment of emotion, a dimension of interest, she illustrates. “Depending on the selection I made, it will stimulate me, encourage conversation or bring a lot of disruption. I realized that not everyone was like me who is very sensitive to noise, to the sound or musical environment. It influences my state of mind.”

Should business leaders draw more on this universal language of emotions? “The arts in general bring a complementary meaning to life, allow us to reflect, take a step back, and see something else. Business leaders or entrepreneurs are often very focused on action, on making their dreams come true. The arts in particular allow us to take a step back and help them bounce back. I regularly went to a concert when I had to manage a complex situation. I then asked myself the question: am I wasting my time? Then, listening allowed me to relax, change my state of mind, think differently, and then I would be able to solve the problem and bounce back.”

For all these reasons, Monique F. Leroux is very involved in the arts community, particularly in music, with her commitment in particular to Orford Musique , the OSM, the Conservatoire and the Orchestre Métropolitain.

"For me, a life without music would be very sad. And to have it, you need people who practice it, who teach it and who allow young people to develop their listening skills, their personal discipline. For example, I see many schools that prioritize the practice of sport, but also music and that give young people the opportunity to play in a small orchestra. It's very beautiful and educational."