Montreal pianist Théo Abellard, winner of Télé-Québec’s Piano public, will return to Parc-Extension for a free concert on Saturday 7 November 2026 at 4 p.m. at the Maison de la culture de Parc-Extension. Billed as Return to Parc-Ex: The Prophecy of the Piano, and later shortened to Piano Prophecy, the performance brings him back to the neighbourhood where he grew up.
Born and raised in Montreal to Haitian parents, Abellard began with classical violin and piano in church. He studied music at McGill and later pursued advanced classical piano through the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In a 2021 McGill interview, he said growing up in Parc-Extension shaped his outlook and, ultimately, his music.
His work brings together contemporary jazz, improvisation, gospel-influenced piano, classical training, and Haitian and wider Black-diasporic traditions. Abellard has said that hearing Robert Glasper’s In My Element was a turning point in his move toward jazz piano. Among his Montreal influences are Oscar Peterson and Paul Bley. He has also spoken about a longer-term ambition to record Beethoven sonatas and Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier.
Abellard’s main group, the Théo Abellard Trio, features Marie-Ketely Abellard on bass and Tyson Jackson on drums. The trio has performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal and across Quebec, balancing composed material with improvisation. Abellard also joined Montreal’s Kalmunity collective in 2016. In a The FADER feature, he said the collective strengthened his improvisational skills and connected him with musicians in the city’s scene.
In November 2025, Abellard won Piano public, receiving a $15,000 bursary and a piano from Piano Vertu. Télé-Québec’s announcement highlighted his sensitive, lively interpretations, original compositions and command of the instrument. His manager, Ricardo Azevedo, says this free concert is intended to encourage young people in Parc-Extension and show them they can make their own goals happen.
Photo – Steve Gerrard
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