Born in Montreal, Feb 18, 1929
Died in Montreal, Jun 2, 1968
- Composer and pianist André Mathieu was a child prodigy and showed incredible musical aptitude from a young age. At age four, he composed and performed his first work, Trois Études.
- While still a child, Mathieu received a government grant to study piano with Yves Nat and and harmony and composition with Jacques de la Presle in Paris.
- About a decade later, Mathieu returned to Paris to study composition with Arthur Honegger and piano with Jules Gentil.
- Sadly, once Mathieu reached his 20s, his fame began to decline. His musical development and innovation seemed to plateau, and he could never recover from it. The composer died at just 39 years old in relative obscurity.
- Fun fact – due to his recognition as a brilliant child prodigy, he was nicknamed “the Canadian Mozart.”
- Additional fun fact – both the welcoming song and the theme music for the 1976 Montreal Olympics were arrangements of Mathieu’s music.
- Family Connection – André’s father was also a known musician – composer, pianist, and educator Rodolphe Mathieu.1
Learn More
Biography from The Canadian Encyclopedia
Sources
- Susan Spier, and Gilles Potvin, “André Mathieu,” The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed August 9, 2023, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/andre-mathieu-emc.