Denis Bédard (born 1950)
L'Orgue
'. Vol. Issues 281-284. Librairie Floury; 2008. p. 54. is a Canadian

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

works (solo, duet, and with other instruments)
Organists' Review
'. Vol. 91, Issues 257-360. Incorporated Association of Organists; 2005. p. 144–145.
International Record Review
'. Vol. Volume 6, Issue 1. International Record Review; 2005. p. 159. and

choral A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...

pieces (

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

, with organ, and with piano). He founded Éditions Cheldar, which publishes his works."Denis Bédard"
''Encyclopedia of Music in Canada'' His compositions are performed internationally.
''General-Anzeiger'', Feb. 2, 2019Christoph Lüttgen.

Early life and education

Bédard was born in Quebec City, Quebec. He was trained at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec where he obtained a deuxième prix harmony in 1966, a premier prix counterpoint in 1970, a premier prix fugue in 1971, premier prix organ in 1972, and a premier prix harpsichord and premier prix chamber music in 1973. Among his teachers at the conservatoire were Tania Krieger (piano), Claude Lavoie (organ), André Mérineau (harmony), Magdeleine Martin (counterpoint and fugue), and Donald Thomson (harpsichordist), Donald Thomson (harpsichord). A series of grants from the Canada Council enabled him to pursue studies in Paris with André Isoir (organ) and Laurence Boulay (harpsichord and figured bass realization) and in Montreal with Bernard Lagacé (organ and harpsichord) between 1973 and 1975. After winning the Prix d'Europe in 1975 for his harpsichord performance, he studied piano, harpsichord, and organ with Gustav Leonhardt in the Netherlands from 1975 to 1977.

Career

Beginning in 1969, Bédard served as organist at Church of Notre-Dame de la Nativité in Beauport, Quebec. In 1978 he became the organist at the Church of Saint-Coeur-de-Marie in Quebec City. He played at several other churches in Quebec, and composed music for organ, piano and harpsichord and other instruments. Bédard's composition ''Suite from the year 1996'' was intended to be played by two organists. A collection of his works for organ was released as an album, ''Denis Bédard: Organ Works'', was released through the Atma label in 1998. In 1999 he composed ''Duet Suite for Organ and Piano''. Bédard later moved to the west coast and became organist at Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire de Vancouver. He retired from this position in 2021, after exactly 20 years of playing at the cathedral. In 2018 his composition "Gibraltar March for Organ" was performed in Gibraltar at Holy Trinity Cathedral at the rededication of its 138 year old organ."New vibrant sound for the Holy Trinity Cathedral organ"
''Gibraltar Chronicle''. January 16, 2018, Alice Mascarenhas

Selected compositions

*''Suite from the year 1996'' *''Duet Suite for Organ and Piano'' (1999) *''Suite pour Orgue''
The American Organist
'. American Guild of Organists; 2006. p. 71. * ''Suite du premier ton''. * "Fantaisie" * "Gibraltar March for Organ" (2018)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedard, Denis 1950 births Living people Canadian classical pianists Canadian male composers Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec alumni Musicians from Quebec City Canadian male pianists 21st-century Canadian male musicians