Since receiving an undergraduate degree in classical clarinet (1984), Yvan Belleau has made his mark on the Quebec, Canadian and international jazz scenes. His four albums Clair et net (2002), Pas à pas (2009), Mix-Cités (2013) and Quintissime (2023) bring us into the world of his compositions, where he shines on both the clarinet and the saxophone.

In 2002, Yvan was chosen to represent Canada in Budapest, Hungary where he recorded a concert which was broadcast in more than forty countries (in collaboration with CBC Radio-Canada and the European Broadcasting Union). He collaborated for many years with the drummer Guy Nadon, including for a series of concerts with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. He occasionally performs as an extra musician with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Recipient of numerous awards from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) and the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA), he has also been a judge for the Opus prizes and for the CALQ.

For almost forty years, he has contributed to recordings with artists of all stripes, including Pivotal Arc (2020) with the New York saxophonist and composer Quinsin Nachof, Pandemonia! (2021) with Joe Sullivan and l’Orchestre National de jazz de Montréal, and Sous l’aile d’un oiseau (2022) with the Joe Sullivan Ensemble.

Yvan is also a musical director for classical, jazz and world music ensembles. He teaches jazz clarinet at Cégep Saint-Laurent and McGill University.