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Magnan, François
François Magnan. Violinist, administrator, b St-Casimir, Que, 11 May 1929. After studies at the CMQ 1946-53 and a premier prix at the Quebec Rotary Club, he was awarded a sholarship by the Royal Society of Canada and by the Ministry of Youth of Quebec. He then resided in Paris 1953-5, where he studied at the École normale de musique with Yvonne Astruc and Henri Benoît, and in London 1955-6, where he worked with Antonio Brosa at the RCM. On his return to Canada he was a member of the CBC 'Little Symphonies' orchestra 1956-69 and of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra 1960-7. He was by turn a JMC delegate at the International JM Congress in Hanover, Germany (1954), a CMQ delegate at the International Congress of Composers in Stratford, Ont (1960), artistic director of the Festival d'été (international) de Québec (1969-71), a jury member of the International Competition of young conductors in Besançon, France (1975), and member of various juries for MACQ and of the Canada Council. He is considered one of the main architects of the development of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, with which he began his administrative career as personnel director 1960-6; he was subsequently general secretary 1966-72, director general 1972-83, and in 1983 became director of operations. He married the pianist Madeleine Bernier.
See also Philippe Magnan (his son).
