Benoît Poirier

Benoît Fidèle Poirier (17 October 1882 – 7 October 1965) was a Canadian organist, composer, and music educator. His compositional output consists of several motets, patriotic songs, and works for solo organ and piano.^[1]

Early life and education

Born Benjamin Perry in Tignish, Prince Edward Island, Benoît began studying the organ at the University of St. Joseph's College at the age of 13. He went of to earn a Bachelor of Arts from that college in 1902 and received an honorary Master of Arts degree from the school in 1928. From 1897-1903 he was the organist of St Thomas Church in Memramcook, New Brunswick.

Career

In 1903 Benoît relocated to Montreal to join the faculty of the Collège de Montréal and to become the organist at the Séminaire de Philosophie. In 1919 he was elected to the board of the Schola cantorum, later serving as its president from 1923 to 1925. He was the director of the Conservatoire national de musique from 1923–1925 and also served on the school's board of examiners for many years. From 1921 to 1925 he taught at the Sacré-Coeur Convent at Sault-au-Récollet, Quebec. From 1953 to 1959 he was the director and primary teacher of the Conservatoire Royal de Montréal. His notable pupils included Eugène Lapierre and Alfred Tardif.

He was organist at a number of churches in Montreal, including Ste-Hélène (1906), St. Patrick's Basilica, Montreal (1908), Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Church (1909), and St-Jacques Cathedral (1914). In 1921 he succeeded Joseph-Daniel Dussault as the organist at Notre-Dame Basilica, remaining in that post through 1954. He regularly presented organ recitals throughout his career. He died in Laval, Quebec.

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