Benoît Verdickt
Encyclopedia
Benoît Verdickt was a Canadian organist
, choir
master, composer
, and music educator of Belgian birth. His compositional output consists mainly of sacred music, some of which he self-published. His most notable works are his Cantique de mariage for soloist and two-part choir (1918) and his Missa pro defunctis for three-part choir and organ (1941).
, Verdickt studied in Mechelen; first at the Interdiocesan School of Sacred Music, and then at the Mechelen Conservatory where he ultimately graduated with his diploma. In 1906 he immigrated to Canada to assume a church organist post in Victoriaville, Quebec
. He remained there until 1912 when he became an organist/choirmaster at a church in Rochester, New York
in the United States. After just one year there, he returned to Canada in 1913 to assume a similar role at Sts-Anges Church in Lachine near Montreal. He remained there until his retirement in 1963.
Verdickt was highly active as a music teacher while living in Lachine. He taught on the music faculty of the Conservatoire national de musique
, taught solfège
for the Quebec government, and served as the Lachine school board's director of music education. He also had a number of private students. Among his notable pupils was Gustave Robitaille. He also conducted Lachine's local concert band and organized concerts in the town. At the time of his death in Saint-Laurent, Quebec
in 1970 the newspaper Messager de Lachine stated, "There are many among us who owe their taste and musical training to him. For that reason he will always remain a prominent figure in the history of Lachine". The Lachine Museum named one of their pavilions in his honor.
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
master, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and music educator of Belgian birth. His compositional output consists mainly of sacred music, some of which he self-published. His most notable works are his Cantique de mariage for soloist and two-part choir (1918) and his Missa pro defunctis for three-part choir and organ (1941).
Life and career
Born in Steenhuffel, LonderzeelLonderzeel
Londerzeel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Londerzeel proper, Malderen , Steenhuffel and Sint-Jozef. On 1 January 2006, Londerzeel had a total population of 17,435. The total area is 36.29 km² which gives a population...
, Verdickt studied in Mechelen; first at the Interdiocesan School of Sacred Music, and then at the Mechelen Conservatory where he ultimately graduated with his diploma. In 1906 he immigrated to Canada to assume a church organist post in Victoriaville, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He remained there until 1912 when he became an organist/choirmaster at a church in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
in the United States. After just one year there, he returned to Canada in 1913 to assume a similar role at Sts-Anges Church in Lachine near Montreal. He remained there until his retirement in 1963.
Verdickt was highly active as a music teacher while living in Lachine. He taught on the music faculty of the Conservatoire national de musique
Conservatoire national de musique
Conservatoire national de musique was a music conservatory in Montreal, Quebec that was actively providing higher education in music during the first eight decades of the 20th century...
, taught solfège
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
for the Quebec government, and served as the Lachine school board's director of music education. He also had a number of private students. Among his notable pupils was Gustave Robitaille. He also conducted Lachine's local concert band and organized concerts in the town. At the time of his death in Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Saint-Laurent is a former city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now the largest in area of the boroughs of the city of Montreal....
in 1970 the newspaper Messager de Lachine stated, "There are many among us who owe their taste and musical training to him. For that reason he will always remain a prominent figure in the history of Lachine". The Lachine Museum named one of their pavilions in his honor.