Krystina Marcoux is known for her flamboyant energy, musical precision and artistic versatility. In 2012, she won first prize in the Standard Life competition of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra where her “unique contact with the public” was underlined by the juries who qualified her as an “exceptionally promising young artist”. In August 2019, she made her debut as a soloist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Kent Nagano and in December 2022 she will present a solo marimba recital at the prestigious Montreal Bach Festival.
Krystina firmly defends the idea that the stage is a malleable material that needs to be bent, just like modeling clay. Combining theatre, dance, stand-up, mime, humor or even sport to her percussion, Krystina strives to open her musical universe to an ever wider audience. Despite her young age, she has already signed 8 shows.
Originally from Quebec, Krystina obtained her PhD under the direction of Jean Geoffroy at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon, specializing in the relationship between theatre, dance and music in hybrid shows. Her performance-practice thesis was recognized by the jury as 'constituting a pioneering essay in the field of research-creation in France'.
For four years now, Krystina has shared the stage with cellist Juan Sebastian Delgado. Their duo Stick&Bow explores the repertoire of each era, while adapting it to the wide possibilities offered by this instrumental combination (cello & marimba). Critically acclaimed Stick&Bow's debut album Resonance was hailed by Toronto's The WholeNote as "simply brilliant" and "totally delicious" and by La Scena Musicale as "full of lovely surprises' '. Their second album, released by Analekta, explores JS Bach's Trio Sonatas with renowned harpsichordist Luc Beauséjour.
In June 2022, their third album Veni, Vola, Veni was released by Analekta. This album features works by Piazzolla with legendary tango-jazz pianist Gustavo Beytelmann for marimba, vibraphone, cello and piano. Critics remarked the duo as: an approach marked by youth and audacity as well as a more than solid musicality based on impeccable classical studies end up making the Montreal duo a lasting meteor that impresses the musical scene here and abroad. Gustavo Beytelmann, former pianist of Astor Piazzolla reworks the latter's compositions with the notoriety of his experience: The meeting between the two young Quebec musicians and the Argentine patriarch of this tango, one of the few still in this world, is important and offers a whole panache not only to this music but also to this duo which wows the gallery wherever it goes. Krystina has been an artist at Adams Percussions since 2017 and Stick&Bow has been represented by Barbara Scales at Latitudes45arts since July 2018 and the record label Analekta since 2020.