ALEXIS CONTANT (1858-1918) was born and spent his entire life in Montreal, with the exception of a six-month period in 1883 in Boston studying with Calixa Lavallée. After abandoning public concert activity because of stage fright, Contant devoted himself to composition, teaching music, and playing the organ at St.-Jean-Baptiste Church, a position he held from 1885 until his death. He numbered among his students Claude Champagne and Rodolphe Mathieu.