Les Petits chanteurs de Granby

Les Petits chanteurs de Granby

Les Petits chanteurs de Granby. Choir school of about 100 children's and men's voices. It was founded in 1931 in Granby (60 km east of Montreal) by Brother Julien Hamelin of the Frères du Sacré-Coeur. The ensemble enjoyed the official patronage of the city. It began touring in the early years of its existence, giving concerts throughout Quebec, in the Maritimes, and in western Canada. It also performed in New England and made a European tour in 1969. Its conductors were Brother Hamelin 1931-44, Brother Emmanuel Quintal 1944-57, Brother Auguste Châtelain 1957-9, Brother Cyrille Viens 1959-72, Jules Leblanc 1972-8, Richard Ducas 1978-9, and Gérard Lehoux 1979-80, succeeded by Brother Normand Cloutier in 1980. Its repertoire includes religious works, folksongs, and contemporary music. The choir has participated in liturgical services and other church functions and has performed regularly on radio and TV, accompanied occasionally by an instrumental ensemble. It made tours in the Abitibi (1974 and 1978) and Lac St-Jean (1975) regions, Louisiana (1975), Ontario (1984), and western Canada (for Expo 86) and also took part in the Canadian film Parlez-nous d'amour by Jean-Claude Lord (1976). In March 1979 it performed with the Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra in Roger Matton's L'Escaouette. In 1981, it performed with singer Nathalie Simard in front of 50,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium.