Claude Vivier was born in Montreal and was a student of Gilles Tremblay and Irving Heller at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec. He continued his studies in Europe with some of the greatest composers, including Karl-Heinz Stockhausen. His music is influenced by his many travels, particularly in Indonesia. In 1978, he helped found Les Événements du neuf in Montreal. In 1981, he received the Composer of the Year award from the Canadian Music Counsel. He died tragically in 1983, murdered in his Paris apartment, creating consternation in Quebec music circles. His works include Prolifération (1969), Love Songs and the opera Kopernicus.