Role

:

Conductor  

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

June 20, 1896 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Death

:

April 9, 1982 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Opera

 

Wilfrid Pelletier was a Canadian conductor, pianist, and composer who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on June 20, 1896, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Pelletier was the son of a music teacher, and he began his musical education at a young age. He studied piano with his mother and later with Alfred La Liberté, a well-known Canadian pianist. Pelletier's talent as a pianist was evident from an early age, and he made his debut as a soloist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra at the age of 12. He continued to perform as a soloist throughout his teenage years, and he also began to compose his own music. In 1914, Pelletier won a scholarship to study at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied piano with Isidor Philipp and composition with Paul Vidal. During World War I, Pelletier served in the Canadian Army, but he continued to pursue his musical career whenever possible. After the war, he returned to Paris and began to establish himself as a conductor. He made his debut as a conductor in 1920 with the Paris Opera, and he quickly gained a reputation as a talented and innovative conductor. In 1925, Pelletier returned to Canada and became the conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He remained with the orchestra for 25 years, during which time he helped to establish it as one of the leading orchestras in North America. Pelletier was known for his ability to bring out the best in his musicians, and he was also known for his innovative programming. He introduced many works by Canadian composers to the orchestra's repertoire, and he also championed the music of contemporary composers. Pelletier's career as a conductor was not limited to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted many other orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He was a frequent guest conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he conducted many of the great operas of the repertoire. In addition to his work as a conductor, Pelletier was also a talented pianist and composer. He often performed as a soloist with the orchestras he conducted, and he also composed many works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. His compositions were often inspired by his love of nature, and he was particularly fond of writing music for the piano. Pelletier's contributions to the world of classical music were recognized with many awards and honors. In 1941, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and in 1957 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. He also received honorary degrees from many universities, including McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Montreal. Pelletier continued to conduct and perform well into his 70s, and he remained an active and influential figure in the world of classical music until his death on April 9, 1982. His legacy lives on through the many recordings he made, the musicians he inspired, and the audiences he entertained.

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