Rachel Laurin

Rachel Laurin , born on 11 August 1961, in Saint-Benoît (Québec), and deceased on 13 August 2023, in Ottawa (Ontario), was a Canadian organist, composer and educator.

Musical training It was in her hometown, with her mother Madeleine Brunet, who played both the piano and the organ, that Rachel Laurin began studying piano at age 9, and then organ at 14. Her interest in composition emerged at 15, and at 17, she moved to Montréal to pursue her studies.

From 1978 to 1980, she attended Collège Marguerite-Bourgeoys (now Marianopolis College) where she studied organ with Lucienne L’Heureux-Arel. Admitted to the Montreal Conservatory of Music in 1980, she studied organ with Gaston Arel and Raymond Daveluy, piano with Raoul Sosa, and jazz with Nick Ayoub.

During her studies, she won the McAbbie Foundation Scholarship (1985), the Wilfrid-Pelletier Scholarship of Excellence (1986), and the Conrad-Letendre Scholarship (five times). In a review of a 2016 recording, Choir & Organ magazine commended her “imaginative and demanding scores”, “well crafted in a kind of New World fusion of musical styles from France, Germany and England.”

Although several works require virtuosity from the performer, she also composed pieces intended for younger or less-experienced instrumentalists, such as the seven volumes of Pièces Courtes (Short Pieces) for organ, Esquisses d’été (Summer Sketches) for piano, or Three Canadian Scenes for flute and piano.

Her compositions are published by publishing houses in North America and Australia — Leupold Editions, Canadian Music Centre, Doberman-Yppan, Nouveau Théâtre Musical, RCCO Music Publications, Morningstar Music Publishers, Allegro Music Publishing — and are regularly performed, especially those for organ, in renowned concert halls and illustrious places of worship around the globe.

Her compositions also appear on a number of albums.

Her manuscripts were deposited at the Leupold Foundation (organ compositions) and the Canadian Music Centre (compositions without organ), a complete and detailed list of her compositions is available on the official website, and the official YouTube channel dedicated to her works contains over 140 videos, including performances by Rachel Laurin herself.

Educator and lecturer As an organist-composer, lecturer, and educator, Rachel Laurin was frequently invited to speak and teach at several Canadian and American universities, including:

Yale University (Connecticut) Houston University (Texas) Saint Thomas University (Minneapolis) Baylor University (Texas) Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania) Mount Royal University (Alberta) University of Saint Lawrence (New York) University of Missouri-Kansas City (Missouri) University of Alberta (Alberta)

In addition, she taught organ improvisation at the Montréal Conservatory of Music (1988-1992), the École de musique sacrée d’Épinal (France), the Summer Institute of Church Music (Whitby, Ontario), the Summer Academy of Mount Royal University Conservatory (Calgary, Alberta), as well as in workshops organized by the RCCO and the AGO.

Distinctions

1985 — McAbbie Foundation Scholarship 1986 — Wilfrid-Pelletier Scholarship of Excellence Conrad-Letendre Scholarship (five times) 2008 — Holtkamp-AGO Composition Prize 2009 — First Prize in the Marilyn Mason New Organ Music Competition Since 2016 — Member of the Honorary Committee of the Fédération Francophone des Amis de l’Orgue (FFAO) 2019 — First Prize (Category A) at the Orgelkids Composition Contest 2020 — Distinguished Composer Award from the American Guild of Organists (AGO) 2022 — Winner of the Pogorzelski-Yankee Competition for New Organ Music Since 2023 — Honorary Member ( Fellow ) of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (FRCCO) 2023-2024 Season — Composer in residence (posthumously) at Salle Bourgie (Montréal), season during which her works, including two premières, were featured in four concerts 2025 — The RCCO organizes the first edition of the Rachel Laurin Composition Competition

Discography List of albums on which Rachel Laurin appears as a performer or composer.

Organist

1986 — Noëls • 33 rpm • Société Nouvelle d’Enregistrement, SNE 531 1989 — Noël nouvelet • CD • Amplitude, OPCD-1007 1990 — Adeste fideles • CD • Analekta, AN 2 9301 1990 — Adoration • CD • Analekta, AN 2 8704 1995 — Rachel Laurin: Works for Organ • CD • Association Jeanne d’Arc, DJA 95 (see digital reissue below) 1996 — Five Sonatas by Raymond Daveluy • CD • CBC Records (Musica Viva series), MVCD 1111-2 1998 — Bach Éternel • CD • Musicus , MCD 331192 (see digital reissue below) 1998 — Alleluia (compilation) • CD • Analekta, AN 2 8810 1999 — Rachel Laurin plays Liszt & Brahms • CD • Motette, CD 12621 2002 — Hommage à Conrad Letendre • CD • self-published, RL 292392 (see digital reissue below) 2004 — The Power of the Organ • CD • Fidelio/Musicus, FACD013 2013 — Music by Rachel Laurin • CD • Raven Records, OAR-943 2025 — Rachel Laurin Plays Her Early Works • reissue, as a digital album, of DJA 95 • Pro Organo, CD 7295 2025 — The Conrad Letendre School • reissue, as a digital album, of RL 292392 • Pro Organo , CD 7296 2025 — Bach Organ Transcriptions • reissue, as a digital album, of MCD 331192 • Pro Organo , CD 7298

Composer

1995 — Opus Québec • CD • Analekta , AN 2 8710 2006 — Festivals • CD • Atma Classique, ACD2 2295 2011 — Rachel Laurin: Works for Organ • CD • Acis, APL 61256 2012 — Sounds of the North • digital album • Gala Records, GAL 108 2013 — Music by Rachel Laurin • CD • Raven Records, OAR 943 2015 — Three Halls • CD • Pro Organo, CD 7268 2016 — Pilgrimages: Organ Music of Rachel Laurin • CD • Raven Records, OAR-975 2016 — Dynamic Duo • CD • Pro Organo, CD 7275 2017 — Sonatas and Variations • CD • Centaur Records, CRC 3559 2017 — Celebrating Canadian Women • digital album • LBS CD2017 2018 — The Chicago Recital • CD • Acis, APL 41752 2018 — Inspirations • CD • Pro Organo, CD 7288 2018 — Brahms Organ Variations • CD • Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, MDG 949 2051-6 2019 — Christ Cathedral Dedication • CD • Gothic, G-49326 2020 — Canadian Organ Music • CD • Delphian Records, DCD 34234-CD 2021 — Organ Music for Two, Vol. 5 • CD • Gothic, G-49336 2022 — Symphony Hall Sorcery • CD • Regent Records, REG CD566 2023 — Montréal Musica • digital album • Centrediscs, CMCCD 32023 2023 — A Celebration • CD • Regent Records, REG CD584 2023 — De la lumière aux étoiles • CD • Atma Classique, ACD2 2872 2024 — Music for Flute, Viola & Piano • digital album • Centaur Records, CRC 4075 2024 — Mass of the Eternal Flame • CD • Acis, APL 53868 2025 — Heroic Spirit • digital album • Selby Abbey Organ Masters 2025 — A Blaze of Song • CD • Raven Records OAR-202 2025 — Sparkling Intensity • CD • Raven Records OAR-204

Compositions in chronological order (by instrumentation) Organ solo Suite brève, op. 6, No. 1 (1984) Suite brève, op. 6, No. 2 (1984) Sonate en fa, op. 7 (1985) Pastorale, d’après "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus" de Lucien Daveluy, op. 13 (1988) Scènes Vosgiennes, op. 16 (1989) Improvisations pour tous les temps, op. 24 (1992) Variations sur un Noël lorrain, op. 26 (1994) Quatre pèlerinages en Lorraine, op. 30 (1996) Trois Pièces, op. 31 (1997–2000) Symphonie No. 1, op. 36 (2003) Acclamations, op. 37 (2003) Étude Héroïque, op. 38 (2004) Petite Suite sur un motet de Gerald Bales, op. 41 (2005) Douze Courtes Pièces, op. 43 (2006) Introduction et Passacaille sur un thème de Raymond Daveluy, op. 44 (2006) Prélude et Fugue en Fa mineur, op. 45 (2007) Partita sur "Nun danket", op. 47 (2007) Épilogue, op. 50 (2008) A Royal Canadian Fanfare, op. 53 (2009) Trois Bagatelles, op. 54 (2009) Symphonie No. 2, op. 55 (2009–2010) Greensboro Suite, op. 56 (2010) Sept Courtes Pièces, op. 58 (2010) Berceuse à Pierre, op. 61 (2011) Fantasy and Fugue on Genevan Psalm 47 (organ four hands and feet), op. 62 (2012) Suite in D Major for Don Menzies, op. 63 (2012) Douze Courtes Pièces, op. 64 (2012–2013) Étude-Caprice "Le rire de Belzébuth", op. 66 (2013) Douze Courtes Pièces, op. 68 (2013–2014) Poème symphonique pour le Temps de l’Avent, op. 69 (2013) Étude symphonique pour pédale solo: Variations sur "That Good Old Baylor Line", op. 72 (2014) Fantasy and Fugue in D major, op. 73 (2014) Aria and Fugue in A for Aaron, op. 74 (2015) Douze Courtes Pièces, op. 75 (2018) Humoresque: Hommage à Marcel Dupré, op. 77 (2016) Finale, op. 78 (2017) Hommage à Buxtehude, op. 86 (2018) Little Prelude and Fugue in G major, op. 87 (2018) Fantaisie à deux (organ four hands and feet), op. 88 (2018) Omaggio Festivo, op. 89 (2018) Sonate No. 1, op. 91 (2019) Ten Little Sketches for Ten Little Fingers, op. 92 (2019) Petit Triptyque, op. 93 (2019) Ouverture "Mr. Mistoffelees", op. 94 (2019) Fantasia quasi scherzo, op. 95 (2019) Variations Sweelinck, op. 96 (2019) Poème symphonique en l’honneur de Saint Benoît, op. 97 (2020) Bagatelle burlesque: Hommage à Beethoven, op. 98 (2020) Cantabile à deux (organ four hands and feet), op. 99 (2020) Thirteen Easy Pieces, op. 100 (2020) Cinq Courtes Pièces, op. 100b (2020) Fantasy and Fugue on a Swedish Folk Song, op. 102 (2020) Toccata for a Great Space, op. 103 (2020) A Festive Portrait (Fanfare), op. 105 (2021) Diptyque, op. 107 (2021) The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow (organ and narrator), op. 108 (2021) Sonate No. 2 "Saint Luke", op. 109 (2022) Impromptu on "Adoro Te Devote", op. 109b (2022) Ubi Caritas et Amor, op. 110 (2022) Variations and Theme, op. 111 (2022) Douze Courtes Pièces, op. 112 (2023)

Organ with other instruments Acclamations (two trumpets, trombone and organ), op. 37 (2003) Fantaisie (harp and organ), op. 52 (2009) Sonate (horn and organ), op. 60 (2011) Introduction et Allegro (oboe and organ), op. 65 (2012) Capriccio quasi burlesco (alto saxophone and organ), op. 83 (2018) Sonate (flute and organ), op. 84 (2018) Te Deum (brass quintet, timpani and organ), op. 90 (2019)

Piano solo Quatre Pièces, op. 1 (1981/rev. 1987) Sonate, op. 2 (1982) Quatre Pièces, op. 3 (1983/rev. 1987) Hommage à Fauré, op. 5 (1984) Intermezzo, op. 8 (1986) Trois chants sans paroles, op. 49 (2009) Parfums, op. 81 (2017) Esquisses d'été, op. 82 (2017)

Chamber music Trio (flute, viola and piano), op. 17 (1990) Poème chorégraphique (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, timpani, triangle, xylophone, and string quartet), op. 18 (1990) Quatuor (string quartet), op. 19 (1990) Sonate (violin and piano), op. 23 (1993) Divertissement (vibraphone, marimba and piano), op. 25 (1993) Festivals (violin and piano), op. 27 (1994) Sonate (flute and piano), op. 29 (1995) Deux Noëls (string quartet or string orchestra), op. 32 (1998) Fantaisie sur un thème japonais (string quartet), op. 34 (1999) Poème d’après le texte du Psaume 122 (string quartet and narrator ad lib.), op. 35 (2001) Sonate (violin and viola), op. 40 (2005) Sonate (viola and piano), op. 42 (2006) Suite (harp and string quartet), op. 101 (2020) Three Canadian Scenes (flute and piano), op. 104 (2021)

Vocal works Trois fables de La Fontaine (voice and piano), op. 9 (1987) Cantate sur l’hymne Veni Creator (voice and organ), op. 10 (1987) Le bestiaire, sur des poèmes d’Apollinaire (voice and piano), op. 22 (1992) Quatre cantiques (voice and organ), op. 31b (1997) Trois mélodies sur des poèmes d’Anne Hébert (voice and piano), op. 33 (1999) Psaume 112 (voice and organ), op. 39 (2004) Chant pour un Québec lointain – 1e cycle (voice and piano), op. 57 (2010) Chant pour un Québec lointain – 2e cycle (voice and piano), op. 70 (2014) Chant pour un Québec lointain – 3e cycle (voice and piano), op. 71 (2014)

Choral works Trois arrangements de folklore (SATB choir or male choir and piano), op. 1b (1982) Messe pour les fêtes solennelles (SATB choir, chamber ensemble and organ), op. 4 (1983) Cantique "Je te révère" (male choir or vocal quartet and organ), op. 4b (1983) Dix cantiques traditionnels (SATB choir and organ), op. 6b (1984) Deux arrangements de Noël (SATB choir and organ), op. 7b (1985) Trois motets en l’honneur de la Sainte Famille (SATB choir a cappella), op. 14 (1989) Messe de louange (SATB choir, soloists and organ), op. 15 (1988) Deux folklores (male vocal quartet and piano), op. 22b (1992) Motet "Adoro Te" (SATB choir with organ or piano ad lib.), op. 51 (2009) Motet "Filiae Regum," en l’honneur de Sainte Anne (SATB choir and organ), op. 67 (2013) Anthem "Saint Joseph, Canada Belongs To Thee" (SATB choir and organ), op. 75Bb (2017) Cantate brève "Tranquilles épiphanies" (SATB choir and piano), op. 76 (2015) Hymne de reconnaissance à Jean Coutu (SATB choir and piano), op. 80 (2017) "Dedisti Domine:" Motet en l’honneur de Saint Clément (SATB choir and organ), op. 85 (2018) Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (SATB choir and organ), op. 106 (2021)

Concertos Concerto (vibraphone, marimba and strings), op. 21 (1992) Concerto (piano and orchestra), op. 46 (2008) Concerto in D (organ, string orchestra and timpani), op. 59 (2010)

Miscellaneous Works Fantaisie (guitar), op. 28 (1995) Quatre Préludes (harpsichord), op. 48 (2007)

Transcriptions for Organ Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto en ré mineur, BWV 1052 (movements 2 & 3. Rachel Laurin op. 30b, 1996) Johann Sebastian Bach: Fantaisie chromatique et fugue, BWV 903 (Rachel Laurin op. 30c, 1996) Johannes Brahms: Variations et Fugue sur un thème de Handel (Rachel Laurin op. 11, 1988/rev. 1997) Franz Liszt: Sonate en si mineur (Rachel Laurin op. 20, 1991)