Maurice Durieux

Durieux, Maurice

Maurice Durieux. Conductor, arranger, violinist, violist, b Courbevoie, near Paris, 3 Dec 1907, d Ottawa 11 Nov 1976. He arrived in Montreal in 1911 and some time later began to study violin with his elder brother André. He was also a pupil of Maurice Onderet (violin) and Rodolphe Mathieu (harmony). Durieux began his career in 1924 on radio station CHYC. He was a soloist and conductor for several CBC radio light music programs and also played in the Howard Fogg and Benny Chaskelson orchestras; in 1930 he was a founding member of the Montreal Orchestra. He was second violin in the Durieux String Quartet, which was established by his brother in 1930 and played for two years. Having decided to concentrate on the viola, he studied in the 1940s at the CMM with Louis Bailly and with William Primrose. He conducted the orchestra of the Montreal Press Club and accompanied Muriel Millard in songs she recorded for RCA Victor. He also directed 1952-5 the concerts for the Montreal Festivals. He was a member of the CBC Serenade for Strings and 'Little Symphonies' orchestras and played ca 1952-67 in the MSO. He composed some light music, including Isola d'amore (Le Passe-Temps, 906, Jan 1947).