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Shows
Symphonic Circus with Jamie Adkins and the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra – Sherbrooke (Quebec) – April 20, 2027
From 19 to 20 april 2027
Symphonic Circus
2500, boulevard de l'Université
Sherbrooke (Québec) J1K 2R1
Sherbrooke (Québec) J1K 2R1
Canada
Price
school groups : Élève : 15 $ CAD
Parking : 5 $ CAD
Subscriber and senior citizen : 25 $ CAD
Child (14 years and under) : 15 $ CAD
Student (25 years and under) : 22 $ CAD
Regular ticket : 29 $ CAD
Cirque symphonique offers a unique encounter between circus arts and orchestral music, featuring international juggler, acrobat, and clown Jamie Adkins, accompanied on stage by the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jean-Michel Malouf. The show will be presented on April 19 and 20, 2027, at the Salle Maurice-O'Bready, in the Cultural Centre of the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Four performances are scheduled as part of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra's 2027 School Matinees: Monday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., and Tuesday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. The first three performances are reserved for school groups. The performance on Tuesday, April 20, 2027, at 1:15 p.m. is also open to the general public. The show lasts approximately 60 minutes and is presented without intermission.
For this project, Jamie Adkins revisits several highlights from his iconic show Circus Incognitus and transposes them into a symphonic environment specially designed to interact with his acts. Juggling, acrobatics, balancing, clowning, and physical comedy intertwine with the orchestra's interventions. Rather than using music as mere accompaniment, the show creates genuine interactions between Jamie Adkins, the musicians, and conductor Jean-Michel Malouf. The orchestra's reactions, comedic contrasts, and unexpected situations become integral parts of the performance.
The music was chosen to complement the diverse situations and emotions of the performance. The announced program includes works by Charles Gounod, Sergei Prokofiev, Georges Bizet, Gioachino Rossini, George Gershwin, Johann Strauss, and Aram Khachaturian. The Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra indicates that the complete repertoire will be revealed at a later date. This selection is intended to create a particularly vibrant program, capable of shifting from lyricism to energy, from suspense to fantasy, depending on the acts presented on stage.
Jamie Adkins, juggler, acrobat and clown
A renowned figure in contemporary circus, Jamie Adkins began his career very young: at the age of 13, he performed as a street entertainer in his neighborhood in San Diego, California. He then continued his training with the Pickle Family Circus in San Francisco, a historic company of the new American circus, before joining Cirque Éloize in Montreal.
At Cirque Éloize, he notably participated in Excentricus, a show presented more than 500 times worldwide. There, he developed a highly personal style based as much on his skills as an acrobat, juggler, and tightrope walker as on his ability to transform the misadventures of an ordinary character into poetic and comic situations. He then participated in the creation of TYPO, another international Cirque Éloize production that enjoyed more than 200 performances.
In 2008, Jamie Adkins created his own show, Circus Incognitus, which has become one of his signature works. This creation has been performed more than 1,300 times in 37 countries. Alone on stage, he constructs a universe from simple objects, juggling, precarious balances, acrobatics, and a series of cleverly orchestrated mishaps. His character draws on the tradition of vaudeville and slapstick comedy, with clear references to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, while developing a highly personal style of contemporary circus.
In 2018, Jamie Adkins also created Espièglerie, which premiered at Place des Arts in Montreal and was later presented at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. Throughout his career, he has performed in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and China. Based in Gatineau, Quebec, he is now considered one of Canada's leading contemporary clown and circus artists.
In Symphonic Circus, his eccentric clown character maintains this approach based on simplicity and precision. Here, there is no technological excess: the strength of the show lies in the body, the objects, the rhythm, the personality of the artist, and the relationship created with the orchestra and the audience. This economy of means is also regularly highlighted in reviews of Circus Incognitus, which emphasize Adkins' ability to captivate both children and adults.
Jean-Michel Malouf and the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
The performance is conducted by Jean-Michel Malouf, conductor and artistic director of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra. A trombonist by training and former member of the Impact Brass Quintet, he turned to conducting in the mid-2000s. In 2016, he received the Canada Council for the Arts' Jean-Marie-Beaudet Prize, an award recognizing a particularly promising young Canadian conductor. He has also been music director and conductor of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Symphony Orchestra since the 2016–2017 season and, starting with the 2023–2024 season, will become the tenth conductor in the history of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra.
The Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra is the permanent artistic ensemble of the University of Sherbrooke's Cultural Centre. For this performance, they do more than simply interpret the musical program: the musicians and conductor also become partners in Jamie Adkins' circus performance.
A show for all generations
The organizer presents the show as suitable for audiences aged 7 to 77, but the Cultural Center's website specifies that grandparents, parents, teenagers, children, and even infants can attend. The show has therefore been designed as a truly intergenerational family outing, combining the immediate appeal of clowning and juggling with the discovery of a symphony orchestra.
For the public performance on April 20 at 1:15 p.m., an important detail should be noted: the seats available to the general public are located in the balcony, the stalls being reserved for school groups.
An educational project for schools
The three school performances and the mixed session on Tuesday afternoon are part of the OSS School Mornings program, intended for primary and secondary school students.
The goal is not simply to offer a one-off cultural outing. The Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra designs these mornings as an interactive, cultural, and educational experience. A teaching guide is provided to participating schools to prepare students and integrate the outing into a curriculum that can be followed before, during, and after the performance.
The project pursues several objectives: to promote the well-being of children and adolescents through music, to develop their musical culture, to spark an interest in the classical repertoire, to show the essential place of culture in educational development, to encourage some young people to discover or practice an instrument and to value, through the performance of the artists, the effort and perseverance necessary for artistic success.
Public prices
For the performance open to all on Tuesday, April 20, 2027 at 1:15 p.m., the announced prices are:
$29 CAD: regular price;
CAD $22: student rate for ages 25 and under;
CAD $15: child rate for ages 14 and under;
$25 CAD: Regular and senior subscriber rate.
Proof of student status may be required to qualify for the student rate. Ticketing fees are added depending on the purchase method: $4 per ticket for phone reservations and $6 per ticket for online purchases.
The official OSS page also indicates that a $5 parking permit is required for the duration of the concert.
School rates and bookings
For school groups, the advertised rate is $15 per student, plus tax, while accompanying adults are admitted free of charge. Groups must make a specific reservation with the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra.
Practical information
Symphonic Circus – Jamie Adkins & Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
Tuesday, April 20, 2027 at 1:15 p.m. – performance open to the public
Duration: 60 minutes
Performance without intermission
Location: Maurice-O'Bready Hall – Cultural Centre of the University of Sherbrooke
2500, University Boulevard
Sherbrooke (Quebec) J1K 2R1
Canada
The public performance is offered as a family-friendly concert. Available public seats are located in the balcony, with the stalls reserved for schools.
The four sessions
Monday, April 19, 2027 – 10:00 a.m.: school groups
Monday, April 19, 2027 – 1:15 p.m.: school groups
Tuesday, April 20, 2027 – 10:00 AM: School groups
Tuesday, April 20, 2027 – 1:15 p.m.: general public + school groups
Four performances are scheduled as part of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra's 2027 School Matinees: Monday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., and Tuesday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. The first three performances are reserved for school groups. The performance on Tuesday, April 20, 2027, at 1:15 p.m. is also open to the general public. The show lasts approximately 60 minutes and is presented without intermission.
For this project, Jamie Adkins revisits several highlights from his iconic show Circus Incognitus and transposes them into a symphonic environment specially designed to interact with his acts. Juggling, acrobatics, balancing, clowning, and physical comedy intertwine with the orchestra's interventions. Rather than using music as mere accompaniment, the show creates genuine interactions between Jamie Adkins, the musicians, and conductor Jean-Michel Malouf. The orchestra's reactions, comedic contrasts, and unexpected situations become integral parts of the performance.
The music was chosen to complement the diverse situations and emotions of the performance. The announced program includes works by Charles Gounod, Sergei Prokofiev, Georges Bizet, Gioachino Rossini, George Gershwin, Johann Strauss, and Aram Khachaturian. The Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra indicates that the complete repertoire will be revealed at a later date. This selection is intended to create a particularly vibrant program, capable of shifting from lyricism to energy, from suspense to fantasy, depending on the acts presented on stage.
Jamie Adkins, juggler, acrobat and clown
A renowned figure in contemporary circus, Jamie Adkins began his career very young: at the age of 13, he performed as a street entertainer in his neighborhood in San Diego, California. He then continued his training with the Pickle Family Circus in San Francisco, a historic company of the new American circus, before joining Cirque Éloize in Montreal.
At Cirque Éloize, he notably participated in Excentricus, a show presented more than 500 times worldwide. There, he developed a highly personal style based as much on his skills as an acrobat, juggler, and tightrope walker as on his ability to transform the misadventures of an ordinary character into poetic and comic situations. He then participated in the creation of TYPO, another international Cirque Éloize production that enjoyed more than 200 performances.
In 2008, Jamie Adkins created his own show, Circus Incognitus, which has become one of his signature works. This creation has been performed more than 1,300 times in 37 countries. Alone on stage, he constructs a universe from simple objects, juggling, precarious balances, acrobatics, and a series of cleverly orchestrated mishaps. His character draws on the tradition of vaudeville and slapstick comedy, with clear references to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, while developing a highly personal style of contemporary circus.
In 2018, Jamie Adkins also created Espièglerie, which premiered at Place des Arts in Montreal and was later presented at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. Throughout his career, he has performed in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and China. Based in Gatineau, Quebec, he is now considered one of Canada's leading contemporary clown and circus artists.
In Symphonic Circus, his eccentric clown character maintains this approach based on simplicity and precision. Here, there is no technological excess: the strength of the show lies in the body, the objects, the rhythm, the personality of the artist, and the relationship created with the orchestra and the audience. This economy of means is also regularly highlighted in reviews of Circus Incognitus, which emphasize Adkins' ability to captivate both children and adults.
Jean-Michel Malouf and the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
The performance is conducted by Jean-Michel Malouf, conductor and artistic director of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra. A trombonist by training and former member of the Impact Brass Quintet, he turned to conducting in the mid-2000s. In 2016, he received the Canada Council for the Arts' Jean-Marie-Beaudet Prize, an award recognizing a particularly promising young Canadian conductor. He has also been music director and conductor of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Symphony Orchestra since the 2016–2017 season and, starting with the 2023–2024 season, will become the tenth conductor in the history of the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra.
The Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra is the permanent artistic ensemble of the University of Sherbrooke's Cultural Centre. For this performance, they do more than simply interpret the musical program: the musicians and conductor also become partners in Jamie Adkins' circus performance.
A show for all generations
The organizer presents the show as suitable for audiences aged 7 to 77, but the Cultural Center's website specifies that grandparents, parents, teenagers, children, and even infants can attend. The show has therefore been designed as a truly intergenerational family outing, combining the immediate appeal of clowning and juggling with the discovery of a symphony orchestra.
For the public performance on April 20 at 1:15 p.m., an important detail should be noted: the seats available to the general public are located in the balcony, the stalls being reserved for school groups.
An educational project for schools
The three school performances and the mixed session on Tuesday afternoon are part of the OSS School Mornings program, intended for primary and secondary school students.
The goal is not simply to offer a one-off cultural outing. The Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra designs these mornings as an interactive, cultural, and educational experience. A teaching guide is provided to participating schools to prepare students and integrate the outing into a curriculum that can be followed before, during, and after the performance.
The project pursues several objectives: to promote the well-being of children and adolescents through music, to develop their musical culture, to spark an interest in the classical repertoire, to show the essential place of culture in educational development, to encourage some young people to discover or practice an instrument and to value, through the performance of the artists, the effort and perseverance necessary for artistic success.
Public prices
For the performance open to all on Tuesday, April 20, 2027 at 1:15 p.m., the announced prices are:
$29 CAD: regular price;
CAD $22: student rate for ages 25 and under;
CAD $15: child rate for ages 14 and under;
$25 CAD: Regular and senior subscriber rate.
Proof of student status may be required to qualify for the student rate. Ticketing fees are added depending on the purchase method: $4 per ticket for phone reservations and $6 per ticket for online purchases.
The official OSS page also indicates that a $5 parking permit is required for the duration of the concert.
School rates and bookings
For school groups, the advertised rate is $15 per student, plus tax, while accompanying adults are admitted free of charge. Groups must make a specific reservation with the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra.
Practical information
Symphonic Circus – Jamie Adkins & Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra
Tuesday, April 20, 2027 at 1:15 p.m. – performance open to the public
Duration: 60 minutes
Performance without intermission
Location: Maurice-O'Bready Hall – Cultural Centre of the University of Sherbrooke
2500, University Boulevard
Sherbrooke (Quebec) J1K 2R1
Canada
The public performance is offered as a family-friendly concert. Available public seats are located in the balcony, with the stalls reserved for schools.
The four sessions
Monday, April 19, 2027 – 10:00 a.m.: school groups
Monday, April 19, 2027 – 1:15 p.m.: school groups
Tuesday, April 20, 2027 – 10:00 AM: School groups
Tuesday, April 20, 2027 – 1:15 p.m.: general public + school groups
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