$10 Student tickets available in advance for this show, with valid student card.

Young Montreal pianist Jean-Michel Blais, 31, combines the melodic pop sensibilities of Yann Tiersen and Chilly Gonzales with the breathtaking technical skill of classical minimalist composers like Philip Glass and Erik Satie.

Blais grew up in a remote community with little access to the arts. He began tinkering on his family’s organ when he was nine, and at the age of 16, was invited to enter the Conservatory to train as a classical pianist. However, in the throes of teenage rebellion and finding the constraints of formal training too inflexible, he left after two years.

He spent some time abroad in his 20s, living in Berlin and South America, eventually settling in Montreal, where, improvising every day, he began composing his debut album, Il, which was released by Arts & Crafts on April 8, 2016.