Victoria Cartier (b. Sorel, Quebec, 4 Apr 1867, d. Montreal 1 Jan 1955) was a Canadian pianist, organist and music educator, who was named an officer of the French Académie and Instruction publique . She was a niece of Sir

George-Étienne Cartier Sir George-Étienne Cartier, 1st Baronet, (pronounced ; September 6, 1814May 20, 1873) was a Canadian statesman and Father of Confederation. The English spelling of the name—George, instead of Georges, the usual French spelling—is explained ...

. Daughter of Louis-Eusebe Désiré Cartier, notary, and Amélie Désirée Chapdelaine, Cartier studied with the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame in Sorel and took piano and organ with

Romain-Octave Pelletier Romain-Octave Pelletier may refer to: * Romain-Octave Pelletier I (1843–1927), Canadian organist, pianist, composer, writer on music, and music educator * Romain-Octave Pelletier II (1904–1968), Canadian music critic, music producer, and violin ...

. She gave her first recital in Sorel and was also a piano teacher there, as well as an organist at St-Pierre Church. Her uncle, founder of the Journal de Sorel, offered to be her patron when she left the convent. In 1896, she went to Paris, where she studied organ with Eugène Gigout, piano with Élie Delaborde, theory with

Louis-Albert Bourgault-Ducoudray Louis-Albert Bourgault-Ducoudray (2 February 1840 – 4 July 1910) was a French Breton composer, pianist, and professor of music history/theory at the Conservatoire de Paris as well as a Prix de Rome laureate. He was born at Nantes and died at ...

and pedagogy with Hortense Parent. She also studied Gregorian chant at the abbeys of France. While studying there, she met

Théodore Dubois Clément François Théodore Dubois (24 August 1837 – 11 June 1924) was a French Romantic composer, organist, and music teacher. After study at the Paris Conservatoire, Dubois won France's premier musical prize, the Prix de Rome in 1861. He bec ...

, Raoul Pugno, and Camille Saint-Saëns. She returned to Montreal in 1898, founded École de piano Paris-Montréal, putting the teaching methods of her French masters into motion for the next 25 years. On 27 Oct 1898 at Karn Hall, she performed the Canadian premiere of the Rhapsodie sur des airs Canadiens for organ (Durand ca 1898), which Gigout had dedicated to her. Cartier gained broader knowledge of European methods during other trips. Her work in music education was considered stimulating and she participated in many concerts at her school, in public and on radio. She also taught in several institutions, such as Villa-Maria Convent and the Institut pédagogique de Westmount. Her students included Alfred Lamoureux, Jean Leduc, Éviola Plouffe, and Esther Wayland. Cartier also served as organist at several Montreal churches, including first at St-Louis-de-France, then at St-Viateur d'Outremont where she inaugurated the Casavant organ in 1913, and, finally, Immaculée-Conception. She performed with

Frantz Jehin-Prume Frantz Jehin-Prume (18 April 1839 – 29 May 1899) was a Canadian violinist, composer, and music educator of Belgian birth. He began his career as a highly successful concert violinist in Europe. From 1865 on he lived and worked mainly in Mon ...

at his last public concert in 1896. She was named an officer of the French Académie in 1901 and of the Instruction publique in 1912, in Paris. In 1903, Pope Pius X sent her a letter, granting her blessing for her services to the cause of religious music in Canada, France and Belgium. In 1912, Cartier debuted the Pratte grand piano at the Ritz-Carleton in.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cartier, Victoria 1867 births 1955 deaths Canadian classical organists Canadian classical pianists Canadian women pianists 19th-century Canadian women musicians Women classical pianists Women music educators Women organists 20th-century Canadian women musicians 19th-century women pianists 20th-century women pianists