Raymond Daveluy

Raymond Daveluy, organist, composer, administrator, educator (born 23 December 1926 in Victoriaville, QC; died 1 September 2016 in Montréal, QC). Having studied in Canada with his father and subsequently in Montréal with Gabriel Cusson and Conrad Letendre, he won the Prix d'Europe (1948) and pursued organ studies in New York City with Hugh Giles. Daveluy was the first North American organist to be invited to the Haarlem International Improvisation Competition, in which he won first prize. He then continued to participate in several European organ festivals. In Montréal, Daveluy was organist for the churches of Saint-Jean-Baptiste (1946-51), Immaculée-Conception (1951-54) and Saint-Sixte (1954-59). In 1960 he became Titular Organist of Saint Joseph's Oratory, playing the famous Von Beckerath organ installed there that same year. He taught at the CONSERVATOIRE DE MUSIQUE DU QUÉBEC in Montréal (1957-60,1978-88) and in Trois-Rivières (1966-67), as well as at the Faculty of Music of MCGILL UNIVERSITY. He also served as director of the conservatories in Trois-Rivières (1970-74) and Montréal (1974-78).

Daveluy was a founding member of the Mélodistes indépendants (1995), an association of composers and performers that promotes contemporary music accessible to a wider public than is traditionally the case with respect to modern works. The group published a book entitled Pour l'amour de la musique in 1998. Daveluy's many works for organ are published by Éditions Jacques Ostiguy and Éditions Europart-Music, and he also composed for winds, piano, strings, as well as several choral pieces. Many of these compositions have been recorded.

In honour of Daveluy's important contribution to Canada's cultural life, he was made a Member of the ORDER OF CANADA (1980); awarded Canada's 125th Anniversary Medal (1992); and nominated as Fellow (Honoris Causa) to the Royal Canadian College of Organists (1993).