Gérald Gagnier

Gagnier, Gérald

Gérald ('Ray D'Ièse') Gagnier. Bandmaster, composer, trumpeter, b Montreal 14 Oct 1926, d there 14 Jan 1961; graduate RMSM (Kneller Hall) 1954. His first trumpet, piano, and theory lessons were with his father, Joseph. He took his general schooling 1939-45 at the Séminaire de Trois-Rivières. In Montreal, he was a student 1945-51 at the CMM and also studied with Pierre Monteux for three summers. He was a trumpeter in the Canadian Grenadier Guards Band and taught 1946-9 at the Studio Labelle and 1951 at Mont-St-Louis College, Montreal. With the rank of lieutenant, he directed several bands, including the Fusiliers du Mont-Royal after 1950 and the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps Band in Montreal 1956-61. He also was assistant director of the Opéra national du Québec in 1951. Among his works are the symphonic poem Polyphème, a Prélude for piano, a Suite romantique for strings, and Rolandineries for piano.

See also J.-J. Gagnier, Guillaume Gagnier, René Gagnier, Armand Gagnier, Ernest Gagnier, Lucien Gagnier, Réal Gagnier, Roland Gagnier, Claire Gagnier, and Ève Gagnier (all members of the same musical family).