Plumes is a hybrid pop/classical group originating from Montréal, whose recent “homes away from homes” have included New York City and Paris. Singer/guitarist and songwriter Veronica Charnley, former frontperson for Canadian indie rock group Flotilla, is joined by musicians from diverse backgrounds, including composer and multi-instrumentalist Geof Holbrook, harpist Éveline Grégoire-Rousseau, drummer Karl Jannuska and an expanding cast of chamber musicians including violist Pemi Paull and bass clarinettist Louise Campbell.
Plumes is a hybrid pop/classical group originating from Montréal, whose recent “homes away from homes” have included New York City and Paris. Singer/guitarist and songwriter Veronica Charnley, former frontperson for Canadian indie rock group Flotilla, is joined by musicians from diverse backgrounds, including composer and multi-instrumentalist Geof Holbrook, harpist Éveline Grégoire-Rousseau, drummer Karl Jannuska and an expanding cast of chamber musicians including violist Pemi Paull and bass clarinettist Louise Campbell.
On the group’s eponymous full-length, released in July 2012, Charnley’s inventive songwriting is supported by arrangements for string quartets, brass quintets, clarinets and violas, and even a full orchestra in a central eight-minute track inspired by the Greek myth of Hero and Leander. The album earned praise from Exclaim! for reaching “sublime new heights.” Grayowl Point called it “a glorious crossover of classical music grace and indie-pop catchiness,” adding, “As you allow the completeness and vitality of Plumes’ record to wash over you, you too will realize you could be listening to the next big band to come out of Montreal.”
Since then Plumes has toured across Canada, Germany, France and the U.S. They’ve appeared in festivals such as Wolfe Island Festival, Evolve, Ritornello Chamber Music Festival, NXNE, Brain Cave, and Hans Dampf Festival. In 2014 Plumes recorded two albums, one entitled Folk Songs and Future Loves scored for chamber orchestra and voice, and recorded in Montréal at Mechanicland Studios with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. It will be released under the name Plumes Ensemble in Montréal on December 1st, 2014, alongside NYC’s indie-classical group Victoire and presented by Innovations en concert.
The other album, recorded in a more indie pop style, was recorded at Castle Rohrsdorf, near Dresden, Germany. It is currently being mixed and is set to be released in spring 2015, supported by tours in Canada and Germany.