Marie Antoinette Jeannine Vanier (21 August 1929 – 7 March 2023) was a Canadian composer[1] and organist[2] who was born blind.

Vanier was born in the Laval-des-Rapides neighbourhood of Laval, Quebec, to Émile and Alice Laurin Vanier. Her father was an engineer.[3] She began her studies at the Nazareth Institute for the Blind, then earned a Bachelor of Music (1950) and a Licentiate of Music (1952) at the University of Montreal. Among her teachers were Françoise Aubut, Jean Papineau-Couture, Roger Filiatrault, Conrad Letendre, Georges Lindsay, Clermont Pépin, and Jean Vallerand. [4]

Vanier received several awards for her compositions and musical performances, including:

  • Second Prize, Casavat Organ Society Competition (1948)[5]
  • Sarah Fischer Concerts Scholarship (1959)[4]

Vanier served as the organist at several churches in Canada: St. Paul de la Croix (1952-1974) St. Bernardin de Sienne (1978), St. Léon de Westmount (1979-81), St. Casimir (1983-5), and St. André Apôtre (1989-94).[4] She also taught music at the Nazareth Institute and the University of Montreal.[6] Her manuscripts are archived at the Bibliothèque du Quebec.[5]

In retirement, Vanier copied scores and piano methods in Braille for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. She said, "You have to try to help others so as not to worry too much about yourself. Every morning I say a prayer of gratitude.”[3]

Vanier died in Montreal on 7 March 2023, the age of 93.[7]

Vanier's music is published by Waterloo Music Company and Berandol Music Limited/BMI.[4] Her compositions include:

  • Cinq Pieces pour Enfants (piano)[8]
  • Fantasia for Recorder Trio[9]
  • Salve Regina (chorus and orchestra)[6]

References

  1. ↑ Pendle, Karin; Boyd, Melinda (2012-07-26). Women in Music: A Research and Information Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-84813-2.
  2. ↑ Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography. Don A. Hennessee (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
  3. 1 2 "Cette page sert à afficher les renseignements concernant une personne". genealogievanier.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jeannine Vanier | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  5. 1 2 3 "Famous Canadian Women On the Job - Musicians". www.famouscanadianwomen.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  6. 1 2 Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International encyclopedia of women composers (Second edition, revised and enlarged ed.). New York. ISBN 0-9617485-2-4. OCLC 16714846.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ↑ "Jeannine Vanier". L'Encyclopédie canadienne. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Vanier, Jeannine". www.pianopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  9. ↑ Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1963). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
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