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 Canadians, Canadian statesman and Fathers of Confederation, Father of Confederation. The English spelling of the name—George, instead of Georges, th ...

. 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 Eugène Gigout (; 23 March 1844 – 9 December 1925) was a French organist and a composer, mostly of music for his own instrument. Biography Gigout was born in Nancy, and died in Paris. A pupil of Camille Saint-Saëns, he served as the organis ...

, 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 music, Romantic composer, organist, and music teacher. After study at the Paris Conservatoire, Dubois won France's premier musical prize, the Prix de Ro ...

Raoul Pugno Stéphane Raoul Pugno (23 June 1852 – ) was a French composer, teacher, organist, and pianist known for his playing of Mozart's works. Biography Raoul Pugno was born in Paris and was of Italian origin. He made his debut at the age of six, and w ...

, and

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

. 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 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 19th-century Canadian women musicians Canadian women classical pianists Canadian music educators Canadian women music educators Canadian women organists 19th-century women pianists 20th-century Canadian women pianists