Lucien Martin

Lucien Martin (30 May 1908 – 29 October 1950) was a Canadian violinist, conductor, and composer. Only one of his compositions was published, the art song La Chanson des belles, which was performed by Jeanne Desjardins in its premiere on the CBC Radio program Sérénade pour cordes. Life and career Born in Montreal, Martin was the son of violinist and string-instrument maker Cyrice Martin. He began his musical training with his father before entering the Conservatoire national de musique at the age of 7. He excelled at the school and earned a gold meld just a couple years later. He was named “the champion young violinist of the world” by the American press after a triumphant concert at the Central Theater in Biddeford, Maine in 1916. Martin continued his violin studies in Montreal with Albert Chamberland (1917–1920), Alfred De Sève (1920–1923), and Camille Couture (1923–1925). He also studied harmony with Georges-Émile Tanguay. From 1925–1928 he toured the United States as a concert and recital violinist. He won the Prix d’Europe in 1931 which enabled him to pursue further studies in France at the École Normale de Musique de Paris with Maurice Hayot. He earned a ’licence de concert’ f