Octave Chatillon

Chatillon, Octave

Octave Chatillon. Violinist, pianist, organist, composer, playwright, b Quebec City 12 Apr 1831, d Nicolet, near Trois-Rivières, Que, 18 Jan 1906. He took his academic studies at the Séminaire de Québec while also studying music, probably with Antoine Dessane. After spending two years with the Jesuits, he taught music 1855-62 at the Ste-Thérèse-de-Blainville College near Montreal and then for the remainder of his life at the Séminaire de Nicolet. Alphonse Lavallée-Smith and Arthur Lavigne were among his pupils. Chatillon was organist at the Nicolet Cathedral. He composed six masses, five cantatas, some motets and other short choral pieces, and a variety of works for small combinations of instruments and for band. Most of his music was written for the Séminaire de Nicolet or for convents. Several of his manuscripts are held at the seminary archives. Chatillon also wrote the plays Le Lion de Flandre, La Délivrance de Batavia, and La Prise de Québec (the latter staged in Quebec City in 1902).

See also Édouard Chatillon (his son), Robert Chatillon (his grandson), and Jean Chatillon (his greatgrandson).