Concertos at 35,000 feet?

On Wednesday, November 26 2011, passengers flying from Beijing to Toronto heard a familiar voice come through the PA system. None other than The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, the former Prime Minister of Canada, announced that he had a special surprise—Canadian cellist Stéphane Tétreault was about to give an impromptu performance.

Then, above the Pacific Ocean, 35,000 feet in the air, the eighteen-year-old cellist began to play. Stéphane proceeded to play several Bach pieces, recalls Anna Buchnea, the General Manager of Air Canada Sales Communication and Support. Ms. Bunchnea, who was onboard for the live performance, said that the reaction from the passengers was one of amazement, and that it was truly a memorable flight for all.

Stéphane Tétreault is one of Canada’s rising stars. He has already been awarded the First Prize in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Standard Life-OSM 2007 Competition, and has placed well internationally as a semi-finalist at both the 2008 Stulberg International String Competition and the 2009 Johansen International String Competition. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Montreal.

Special thanks to Stéphane for bringing a little magic to everyone’s flight! And we’re curious, have you ever been on a flight where something special has happened?

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