Search for "New France"

Quesnel, (Louis) Joseph (Marie). Merchant, composer, violinist, playwright, poet, actor, b St-Malo, France, 15 Nov 1746, d Montreal 3 Jul 1809. (Research by John Hare of the University of Ottawa has revealed that Quesnel's birthdate probably was 1746, not 1749 as has been assumed.

Beth Davis Powning, writer, photographer (born 15 August 1949 in Putnam, Connecticut). Beth Powning’s sensitive and thought-provoking novels, essays and memoirs explore her deep relationship with the natural world, as typified by life in rural New Brunswick. Her books — including Seeds of Another Summer (1996), The Hatbox Letters (2004), A Measure of Light (2015) and The Sister’s Tale (2021) — have earned many accolades. Powning received New Brunswick’s Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for High Achievement in English Literary Arts in 2010. She has also received honorary degrees from the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University.

Philippe Djokic. Violinist, conductor, teacher, b St Max, France, 3 Sep 1950, naturalized Canadian 1990; M MUS (Juilliard) 1975. Of Yugoslavian parentage, Philippe Djokic emigrated to the US in 1952.

Angelo Fassio. Violinist, conductor, publisher, composer, b St-Étienne, France, 14 Jan 1888, d Montreal 1 Aug 1956. He studied violin in Paris and in Berlin and theory in Barcelona.

Serge Bennathan, choreographer, director (born at L'Aigle, France 14 Aug 1957). Serge Bennathan immigrated to Canada in 1985 and has established a reputation as one of Canada's most distinctive choreographers.

Claude Baillif dit Regnault, masonry builder, architect (b c1635; d at sea, early 1699). The Séminaire de Québec hired Baillif as a stonecutter at La Rochelle, France, in May 1675.

Richard ('Dick') Armin. Cellist, b Winkler, Man, 13 Aug 1944 (Paul's twin); performance certificate (Indiana) 1963. He studied cello 1957-61 with Thaddeus Markevitch in Detroit, in 1961 with Luigi Silva in New York, and 1962-4 with János Starker at Indiana University.

Eddy Toussaint's early jazz work with dancer Eva VON GENCSY led to a 1973 engagement at the Banff School of Fine Arts, where he danced and taught. In 1972 he joined von Gencsy and Geneviève SALBAING to launch LES BALLETS JAZZ DE MONTRÉAL, but left a year later.

Louis-Joseph-Marie Quesnel, merchant, composer, poet, playwright (b at Saint-Malo, France 15 Nov 1746; d at Montréal 3 July 1809). Canada's first opera composer arrived here quite by chance.

Scott Ross. Harpsichodist, organist, teacher, b Pittsburgh 1 Mar 1951, d Assas, near Montpellier, France, 14 Jun 1989; premier prix (Nice Cons) 1968, Speciaal Hoger Diploma (Royal Flemish Cons, Antwerp) 1972.

Raoul Vennat. Music dealer, flutist, b Clairac, France, 14 May 1869, d Montreal 1 Oct 1962. A Montreal resident after 1903, he established a music store which specialized in French music.

Mercure, Pierre. Composer, TV producer, bassoonist, administrator, b Montreal 21 Feb 1927, d in an accident near Avallon, France, 29 Jan 1966; premier prix harmony, counterpoint, deuxième prix bassoon (CMM) 1949.

Antoine Dessane, organist, pianist, cellist, teacher, composer (b at Forcalquier, near Aix-en-Provence, France 10 Dec 1826; d at Québec City 8 June 1873). Founder of the choral Société musicale.

Victoria Grace Blackburn, journalist, poet, playwright, novelist (b at Quebec City, 17 Apr 1865; d at London, Ont 4 Mar 1928). Born in Quebec City, Blackburn attended Hellmuth Ladies' College in London, Ontario.

Wyatt Eaton, portrait, genre and landscape painter, illustrator (b at Philipsburg, Qué 6 May 1849; d at Newport, RI 7 June 1896). Eaton left Canada for New York around 1867 and studied at the National Academy of Design, and then for 5 years under Joseph Oriel Eaton.

Victor Occellier. Baritone, teacher, b Italy, d Quebec City 3 Dec 1916. He studied in France and began his operatic career there. He visited Canada in October 1899 as a member of the Durieu-Nicosias company, to which Salvator Issaurel also belonged.

Baillairgé Family, architects, sculptors and painters active in Québec for 5 generations until well into the 20th century, the most prominent of whom are Jean, François, Thomas and Charles.

Phil Comeau, CM, ONB, film director, screenwriter and producer (born 1956 in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia). This Acadian director’s films have received over 55 awards in Canada and abroad. They address subjects such as youth, human relationships, art, history and Acadian identity. His film Le secret de Jérôme (1994) garnered some 15 awards and is regarded as the first independent Acadian feature film produced in Canada. Comeau’s 2016 documentary feature Zachary Richard, toujours batailleur/Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart received the La Vague Léonard-Forest Award and the Audience Choice Award at the FICFA international francophone film festival in Moncton, New Brunswick and the Director’s Choice Award - Documentary Feature at the Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival in Lafayette, Louisiana.

(Joseph) André (Roger) Laplante. Pianist, teacher, b Rimouski, Que, 12 Nov 1949; B MUS (Montreal) 1968, M MUS (Montreal) 1970. André Laplante began studying piano at seven and continued after 1964 at the École Vincent-d'Indy with Natalie Pépin and Yvonne Hubert.

Béatrice Martin (a.k.a. Cœur de pirate), writer, composer, singer, lyricist, pianist (born 22 September 1989, in Montreal, QC). Winner of several Félix Awards, including New Artist of the Year in 2009 and Most Famous Quebec Artist outside Quebec in 2012, Cœur de pirate has made their mark with the Quebec public and French. After the release of their bilingual album Roses in 2015, Cœur de pirate's fame spread across English-speaking Canada, the United States and several European countries.