Search for "New France"

André Jobin, tenor, actor, stage designer (born 20 January 1933 in Québec, QC). The son of tenor, Raoul Jobin, André began his artistic training in Paris, France. André had a successful career as a singer and actor, and he performed in operas and operettas throughout Europe and North America (see Opera Performance).

(Judith) Marilyn Engle. Pianist, teacher, b Calgary 27 Jul 1946; B MUS (Juilliard) 1969, M SC MUS (Juilliard) 1970, MA (New York) 1975. Marilyn Engle's piano studies in Calgary with Gladys Egbert and in New York with Ilona Kabos led to first prizes in the 1966 CBC Talent Festival and the 1969 J.S.

St John began violin studies with Richard Lawrence in London at the age of 3. He later studied viola with Ralph Aldrich at the University of Western Ontario.

Christina Elena Petrowska Quilico (nee Petrowska), CM, O.Ont, FRSC, pianist, teacher, author, graphic artist (born 30 December 1948 in Ottawa, ON). Christina Petrowska Quilico is one of Canada’s most celebrated pianists. Equally adept at Classical, Romantic and contemporary repertoires (though best known for the latter), she is also a noted champion of Canadian composers, particularly Ann Southam. Petrowska Quilico taught piano and musicology at York University from 1987 until 2022, when she was named Professor Emerita, Senior Scholar. She has been appointed to the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario and the Royal Society of Canada.

Hughes, Arthur Wellesley. Composer, band arranger, instrumentalist, b eastern Ontario ca 1870, d New York? ca 1945.

Luc Plamondon. Lyricist, producer, b St-Raymond-de-Portneuf, near Quebec City, 2 Mar 1942; BEd (Laval), honorary D LITT (Laval) 1994. Luc Plamondon grew up listening to the "turlutes" (comic ritornelles) of La Bolduc at his aunt's home in Limoilou; he wrote his first song at age 16.

Marthe Létourneau, soprano, teacher (born 27 June 1916 in Quebec City, QC; died 10 December 1998). Létourneau appeared as soloist with the MSO and the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and taught voice 1940-2 at Sherbrooke's Mont Notre-Dame, 1960-2 at the École Vincent-d'Indy, 1960-6 at the Institut Nazareth, 1962-3 at the Institut pédagogique de Montréal, and 1960-6 at the Grey Nuns' School in Hull. She also taught at Laval University 1966-84 and was a member of a vocal quartet there 1972-4.

François-Xavier Mercier (Merçay). Tenor, teacher, b Quebec City, 13 Aug 1867, d Quebec City 22 Dec 1932. He sang in Quebec City from his early childhood, especially at the Church of the Congregation of Notre-Dame (now Jacques-Cartier).

In 1954 Louis Quilico made his professional stage debut in the role of Rangoni in Boris Godunov with the Opera Guild of Montreal. He won the 'Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air' in 1955, and made his New York debut with the New York City Opera, singing Germont in La Traviata 10 Oct 1955.

Hermel Bruneau. Harpsichordist, gambist, teacher, b St-Félix-de-Valois, near Joliette, Que, 23 Apr 1940; premiers prix harpsichord, chamber music (CMQ) 1972. He first studied piano, then cello with Rolland Brunelle and later harpsichord at the CMQ with Donald Thomson.

Gérard Paradis. Tenor, actor, b Montreal 9 Feb 1921. He studied singing with Céline Marier, Pauline Donalda, Salvator Issaurel, and Albert Cornellier, and piano and solfège with Marie-Thérèse Paquin.

Lévesque returned to Montréal in 1959 and cofounded the group Les Bozos with other chansonniers. He also became actively involved in the Québec separatist movement.

Joseph-Alexandre DeSève, film distributor and producer, benefactor (b at Montréal 14 Sept 1896; d there Sept 1968). After a diverse career, DeSève began in the 1930s to import, distribute and screen films.

Grand Chantre (Precentor). In the 15th century this term was used to refer to a church dignitary in charge of the singing of the choir in cathedrals and collegiate churches. On special holidays he donned the cope and bore the cantor's rod as symbols of his authority.

Betty-Jean Hagen, violinist, teacher (born 17 October 1930 in Edmonton, AB; died 27 December 2016 in Poughkeepsie, New York). Artist's Diploma (Toronto) 1951.

Juliette Kang. Violinist, b Edmonton 6 Sep 1975; B MUS (Curtis) 1991, MA (Juilliard) 1993. A child prodigy, Juliette Kang began violin lessons at age four and soon became a student of James Keene, concertmaster of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. She made her concerto debut in Montreal at age seven.

Charles (Frederick) Thiele. Publisher, bandmaster, cornetist, composer, arranger, b New York 1884, d Waterloo, Ont, 3 Feb 1954.

Ray Nurse. Lutenist, builder and restorer of period string instruments, bass, b New Westminster, BC, 1 Feb 1947.

Joseph Gérard Adolphe Claude Léveillée, OC, OQ, singer, songwriter, pianist, actor (born 16 October 1932 in Montréal, QC; died 9 June 2011 in Saint-Benoit-de-Mirabel, QC).

He worked for a Seventh Avenue dress manufacturer, as assistant designer, before moving to Toronto in 1972. After a brief time as a junior designer and freelance artist, Sung opened Moon, a small boutique in Toronto's prestigious Yorkville shopping district.