Colombe Pelletier

Colombe Pelletier
Born(1923-05-12)May 12, 1923
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedApril 11, 2021(2021-04-11) (aged 97)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Occupations
  • Pianist
  • Coach
  • Accompanist

Colombe Pelletier (May 12, 1923 – April 11, 2021) was a Canadian pianist, coach and accompanist. She made her solo debut in 1944 and toured Canada for the Jeunesses Musicales Canada [fr] (YMC). Pelletier accompanied several Canadian and foreign artists on recital tours by the YMC and played for vocal productions. She was an examiner for the École Normale de Musique de Paris, a coach at the JMC Orford Art Centre, for CBC, the Montreal Festivals, the Opera Guild of Montreal, and the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.

Early life and education

Pelletier was born in Montreal, Quebec on May 12, 1923, and had a sister. She began studying piano at the age of six, and earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the Conservatoire national de musique in 1940, winning the gold medal in the baccalaureate examamination. Pelletier earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1942 under the lectureship of Antonio Létourneau [de; fi] on piano for six years and theory with Eugène Lapierre for a year. She enrolled at the École Normale de Musique de Paris in September 1949 with the support of bursaries from the Government of Quebec and was tutored by Jules Gentil and Alfred Cortot. Pelletier graduated with a Licentiate in Music degree in 1952, having specialized in the art of accompaniment. She studied Lieder interpretation with Ernst Reichart at the Mozarteum in Salzburg in mid-1956.

Career

She played with Les Variétés lyriques [fr], and made her debut as a solo performer on the piano in Montreal in March 1944. Pelletier performed in concerts in Belgium and France, and accompanied a host of Quebec artists on international tours, on radio, on stage and on television, such as Colette Boky, Claire Gagnier, Joseph Rouleau, André Turp and Richard Verreau. Between late 1952 and 1953, she toured Canada for the Jeunesses Musicales Canada [fr] (YMC), giving 35 concerts as a guest artist with Marthe Létourneau and Jean-Paul Jeannotte. Pelletier played at venues such as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal, and the Salle de l'Auditorium, Laval. She also accompanied several Canadian and foreign artists on recital tours by the YMC, Eugene Kash and Ginette Martenot from 1958 to 1959; Gaston Germain between 1965 and 1966; Guy Fallot from 1968 to 1969; the violinist Andrzej Grabiec, the singers Anna Chornodolska and Bruno Laplante, the oboist Bernard Jean, and the violinist Adele Armin between 1972 and 1973.

Under the YMC, Pelletier played for the vocal productions as Jean Vallerand's Le Magicien and Claude Debussy's L'enfant prodigue from 1961 to 1962, Roberto Hazon's L'Amante Cubista between 1967 and 1968, and Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville from 1976 to 1977. From 1962 to 1967, she was the official accompanist for the JMC National Competition, and was an examiner for the École Normale de Musique de Paris in 1963. Pelletier was a coach at the JMC Orford Art Centre from 1962 to 1973 and served in that role for the CBC, the Montreal Festivals, the Opera Guild of Montreal, and the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. She and Turp recorded Jeannotte's Propos intimes. Pelletier suffered a stroke and stopped playing the piano in 2018.

Death

She died in the palliative care unit of Hôpital Jean-Talon, Montreal, Quebec on April 11, 2021. A ceremony for Pelletier was held at the Centre funéraire Côte-des-Neiges on the afternoon of July 1, 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Dion, Hélène; Poussart, Annick (July 15, 2007). "Gaelyne Gabora". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Avis de décès: Colombe Pelletier: 12 Mai 1923 – 11 Avril 2021" [Obituary: Colombe Pelletier: 12 May 1923 – 11 April 2021] (in French). Dignity Memorial. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Rousseau, Martine (February 18, 1963). ""Mon métier est le plus beau du monde"" [“My job is the best in the world”]. La Tribune (in French). p. 8. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "La critique note les dons de Mlle Colombe Pelletier" [The review highlights the talents of Ms. Colombe Pelletier]. Le Devoir (in French). November 24, 1948. p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 "Young Violinist And Pianist in Recital". Ottawa Citizen. June 9, 1945. p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 "Local Pianist Given Degree". The Montreal Star. 26 August 1952. p. 24. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Lemay, Guy (March 30, 1944). "Colombe Pelletier et Marie Létourneau á l'Ermitage" [Colombe Pelletier and Marie Létourneau at the Ermitage]. Le Devoir (in French). p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 "Colombe Pelletier Recital Tonight". The Montreal Star. November 24, 1954. p. 23. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Vallerand, Jean (April 22, 1953). "Le récital de Colombe Pelletier" [Colombe Pelletier's Recital]. Le Devoir. p. 6. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Succés de J.-P Jeannotte et de Colombe Pelletier" [Successes by J.-P. Jeannotte and Colombe Pelletier]. La Tribune (in French). October 31, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Excellent concert du ténor Jean-Paul Jeannotte et de Colombe Pelletier aux J.M.C." [An excellent concert by tenor Jean-Paul Jeannotte and Colombe Pelletier at the J.M.C.]. Le Nouvelliste. November 24, 1952. p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.