Léon Destroismaisons

Léon Destroismaisons (2 March 1890, Quebec City – 3 February 1980, Saint-Pacôme, Quebec) was a Canadian priest, organist, composer, and music educator.

Born in Quebec City, Destroismaisons began his music studies while completing his preparation for ordination as a priest. He was educated as a musician at Collège Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière where he later taught organ and harmony from 1914 to 1925 and again from 1929 to 1965. He also studied organ and piano privately with Henri Gagnon.^[1]

In 1925 Destroismaisons was awarded a scholarship which enabled him to pursue studies in Paris over a four-year period. His teachers in France included Georges Caussade (harmony and counterpoint), Vincent d'Indy (composition), Marcel Dupré (organ), and Auguste Le Guennant (Gregorian chant). In 1929 he received a diploma from the Gregorian Institute of Paris; and then returned to Canada to resume teaching at the Collège Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière. In 1931 he began teaching course at Université Laval as well.^[1]

Destroismaisons was a frequent organ recitalist, and notably performed 30 inaugural concerts on newly built organs at churches throughout the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. WIth Louis-Philippe Morneau he prepared the hymn and canticle collection Manuel de chants sacrés (1940). His compositional output included a cantata, works for organ, and several sacred songs and hymns.^[1]