Calixa Lavallée › Texts

Born: December 28, 1842, Verchères, Canada.
Died: January 21, 1891, Boston, Massachusetts.
Buried: Boston, Massachusetts; reinterred in 1933 in Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery, Montréal, Canada.

Lavallée’s father was originally a wood cutter and blacksmith, but eventually started repairing musical instruments and teaching music in his local community. After moving to St. Hyacinthe, Calixa’s father worked for organ builder Joseph Casavant. Calixa was playing the organ by age 11, and at age 13 gave a piano recital in the Théâtre Royal in Montréal. Calixa later moved to America, where he a won a competition in New Orleans, Louisiana. As accompanist to Spanish violinist Olivera, he toured Brazil and the West Indies, then returned to America and fought in the American civil war, rising to rank of lieutenant on the northern side. He returned to Montréal after the war, but continued to do concert tours and teach. The Congrès National des Canadiens-Français commissioned him to compose "O Canada" for St. Jean-Baptiste Day in 1880. In 1887, he became president of the Music Teachers’ National Association. Lavallée wrote operettas, a symphony, and various occasional pieces and songs.

Sources:
Jones, pp. 84-85

--www.hymntime.com/tch/

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