The faces behind the project

Julie Lecours

Julie is a joyful, energetic and generous person who truly loves people. She is a wildlife biologist working in the airport sector. Her interests are many: she especially loves nature, outdoor sports, DIY projects, personal growth, adventure and travel. Her passion for singing comes from her many years in the Scout movement.

The many times spent singing with her troop around the campfire are very precious memories to her. Julie loves to sing spontaneously, and that is the spirit in which she lives her own Sol-La-S’Day. Julie wants to leave a positive mark behind her. Through the project, she invites people to be attentive to others, to share their love, and to let themselves be moved and touched by other human beings.

France Arseneau

France is both a singer and the continuing education coordinator at Arrimage, the cultural corporation of the Magdalen Islands. She also worked for more than 35 years in the media and in communications for various organizations. People know her well and she is very involved in her community.

Passionate about gardening and cooking, she also volunteers with Cuisines collectives des Îles, supporting access to healthy, local food for everyone. France is a singer at heart too: a choir member or soloist since the 1970s, then part of several trios and projects over the last 35 years, she has also been a member of the a cappella vocal ensemble “Les enfants de cœur” since January 2024.

A woman of heart who loves a challenge, she knows how to surround herself with the right people when it is time to act. She is known as down-to-earth, cheerful, welcoming, warm and, above all, someone who brings people together. It is in that spirit that she has been the project’s ambassador to the whole population of the Islands since 2011.

Anne-Françoise Danhier

Anne-Françoise studied at IMEP, the higher institute of music and pedagogy in Namur. She is a qualified lower-secondary music teacher and teaches music in special secondary education to teenagers with severe disabilities. Outside school, music remains her main occupation, especially choral singing.

She sings in the vocal ensemble of the Tournai conservatory, leads the alto section of the amateur choir Chanterelle and, for 22 years now, has conducted la Chanterie, a choir for children aged 6 to 12, and la Cantilène, for teenagers aged 12 to 20. These last three ensembles are brought together as the Chanterelle group.

Touched by the purpose of Sol-La-S’Day, she has taken part with her choirs since 2013 and agreed to become its ambassador for Belgium.

Annie Larouche

Creative and always smiling, Annie thrives in a world of serenity, mutual help and simple joys. She enjoys quiet forest hikes, the outdoors, family activities, reading and music. A graphic designer by training and by trade, she has great fun creating illustrations, both technical and playful, especially for family and friends!

Choral singing has always been part of her life, with her family, in several vocal ensembles and even with the Scouts and Guides. So it was only natural for Annie to join the Sol-La-S’Day team.

Pierre Bédard

Originally from Montreal, with degrees from the universities of Montreal and Ottawa, Pierre spent some thirty years teaching in French-language and immersion schools in eastern Ontario. Musically, he lived first-hand through the era of the Quebec chansonniers, the Beatles and the Stones, yé-yé, disco and a few others too!

He later learned to appreciate opera, bluegrass and gospel. When he retired, he joined his first choir and has enjoyed many other musical experiences since. Each time is a renewed pleasure, one he gladly shares with everyone who loves music in all its forms and styles.

He is delighted to join the Sol-La-S’Day team to help make this goal a reality and to share music, that food for the soul!