Josephte Dufresne

Dufresne, Josephte

Josephte Dufresne. Pianist, teacher (Trois-Rivières, Québec, January 9, 1929 - Ste-Hyacinthe, Québec, February 7, 1995). She studied piano in Trois-Rivières and Montreal with Jean-Marie Beaudet and, thanks to the Prix d'Europe (1950), in Paris with Yves Nat. In 1955, she began to perform and teach in Montreal. A recitalist and concert soloist on radio (SRC and CKAC) and television, her particular passion was promoting Canadian music. She created the Pièce concertante no. 1 for Jean Papineau-Couture (which is dedicated to him), and in the fall of 1967, presented 13 half-hour recitals on SRC featuring the works of some 60 Canadian composers. Starting in 1975 she began editing a work on Canadian music for piano.

Josephte Dufresne performed in Paris and other French cities, in the State of New York and just about everywhere in Québec. She accompanied artists on tour, in particular Claire Gagnier, and accompanied a number of singers in opera productions on SRC television. Appointed professor at the Conservatoire de Hull (Gatineau) in 1967, she held the position of assistant director (1972-78) and then director (1980-84). In 1987, she left teaching to devote herself to her instrument. She married the director and orchestra conductor Jean-Yves Landry.

Discography

Letondal, Champagne, G.-É. Tanguay, Lavallée, Contant, Renaud, Garant, Gagnon, Hétu : 1969; RCI 252, (Champagne) 4-ACM 30, (Hétu) 4-ACM 31 (CD).

Matton Concerto for two pianos and percussion, Danse brésilienne for two pianos: J. Landry p, L. Charbonneau et Lachapelle perc; 1955; RCI 145 et 5-ACM 29.

Papineau-Couture, Prévost, Mercure, Vallerand, Élie: Myette v, Millet fl; Allied ARCLP-4.

Pépin, Morel, Mathieu, Tremblay, Garant, Papineau-Couture, Matton : 1955; RCI 135, (Pépin) 4-ACM 5, (Garant) 4-ACM 2, (Matton) 5-ACM 29.

Bibliography

J. Rudel-Tessier, "Josephte Dufresne, une interprète des compositeurs canadiens", CompCan, 4 (Dec. 1965).