April 14, 1948:
Claude Vivier is born in Montreal. His parents are unknown and he will be placed in the orphanage La crèche Saint-Michel.
August 10, 1968:
String Quartet in Two Movements by Claude Vivier (20) is performed for the first time, in Magog, Quebec. It is the first of his music to be performed publicly.
May 1, 1973:
While studying with Karlheinz Stockhausen (44) and others, Claude Vivier (25) takes a room in a less fashionable district of Cologne at Im Stavenhof 18. Among the artists he will befriend here will be Kevin Volans (23).
September 26, 1974:
Lettura di Dante for soprano and seven instruments by Claude Vivier (26) is performed for the first time, in Salle Claude-Champagne of the University of Montreal. Reviews are mixed.
June 22, 1975:
Four works by Claude Vivier (27) are performed for the first time, as part of the Tremplin International Competition in Montreal: Pièce pour violon et piano, Pièce pour flute et piano, Pianoforte for piano, as well as Hymnen an die Nacht for soprano and piano to words of Novalis.
October 2, 1975:
Liebesgedichte for four voices and chamber ensemble by Claude Vivier (27) is performed for the first time, in Salle Pollack of McGill University, Montreal.
April 10, 1976:
Woyzeck for tape by Claude Vivier (27) is performed for the first time, in the National Arts Centre, Ottawa.
May 1, 1976:
Pour guitare by Claude Vivier (28) is performed for the first time, in La Maison des Arts, Montreal.
November 25, 1976:
Pièce pour violon et clarinette by Claude Vivier (28) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
August 4, 1977:
Nanti Malam, a ballet for seven voices by Claude Vivier (29) to his own words, is performed for the first time, at the Ottawa Teachers College.
January 28, 1978:
Pulau Dewata for unspecified instrumentation by Claude Vivier (29) is performed for the first time, at The Art Works in Toronto.
March 5, 1978:
Les communiantes for organ by Claude Vivier (29) is performed for the first time, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Montreal.
February 25, 1979:
Greeting Music for piano, flute, oboe, cello, and percussion by Claude Vivier (30) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
March 30, 1979:
Journal for four voices, chorus, and percussion by Claude Vivier (30) to his own words, Carroll, Novalis, and the Roman Catholic liturgy, is performed for the first time, in Convocation Hall, Toronto.
May 8, 1980:
Kopernikus (Opéra-Rituel de Mort), a chamber opera by Claude Vivier (32) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre du Monument National, Montreal.
October 14, 1980:
Orion for orchestra by Claude Vivier (32) is performed for the first time, in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Montreal.
January 7, 1981:
Lonely Child for soprano and chamber orchestra by Claude Vivier (32) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in a recorded broadcast over Radio-Canada. See 18 November 1982.
March 31, 1981:
La Presse announces that the Canadian Music Council has named Claude Vivier (32) Composer of the Year.
April 4, 1981:
New works by Claude Vivier (32) are performed for the first time, in Toronto: Shiraz for piano, and Zipangu for 13 strings.
April 12, 1981:
Ed Schreyer, Governor-General of Canada, confers the Composer of the Year award on Claude Vivier (32) in a ceremony in Rideau Hall, Ottawa.
February 12, 1982:
Et je reverrai cette ville étrange for piano, viola, cello, bass, trumpet, and percussion by Claude Vivier (33) is performed for the first time, in Trinity United Church, Toronto.
November 18, 1982:
Lonely Child for soprano and chamber orchestra by Claude Vivier (34) to his own words, is performed before a live audience for the first time, in Salle Claude-Champagne, Montreal.
January 25, 1983:
Late at night, Claude Vivier (34) brings to his Paris apartment a man he met in a bar. The man becomes violent, stabs Vivier in the neck with scissors, and makes off with his money. Vivier will survive.
February 13, 1983:
Samarkand for wind quintet and piano by Claude Vivier (34) is performed for the first time, in Nice, conducted by the composer.
February 14, 1983:
Bouchara for soprano, eleven players, and tape by Claude Vivier (34) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.
March 7, 1983:
In a bar in the Belleville section of Paris, Claude Vivier invites a young man, Pascal Dolzan, to his apartment on rue Général-Guilhem for sexual activities. At the apartment, Dolzan stabs Vivier to death and steals his money. Claude Vivier is aged 34 years, ten months, and 23 days. Dolzan will be caught in October and, after confessing to the crime and two others, will be sentenced to life in prison.
March 12, 1983:
Alerted by concerned friends, Paris police break into the apartment of Claude Vivier and discover his body.
March 23, 1983:
After a small funeral service, attended by Gérard Grisey (36) and Tristan Murail (36), the mortal remains of Claude Vivier are cremated at the Crématorium de la Ville de Paris in the Cimetière de l'Est on boulevard Ménilmontant.
March 24, 1983:
Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire for soprano and chamber ensemble by Claude Vivier (†0) is performed for the first time, in Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. Among the listeners is Olivier Messiaen (74).
April 14, 1983:
A ceremony in memory of Claude Vivier (†0) takes place at the Église Saint-Albert-le-Grand in Montreal on the 35th anniversary of his birth. The ashes of his remains are placed in the Salon Funéraire Dallaire on boulevard Saint-Martin in Laval.
April 26, 1984:
Wo bist du licht! for mezzo-soprano, percussion, strings, and tape by Claude Vivier (†1), to words of the composer, Hölderlin, King, and Kennedy, is performed for the first time, in Salle Pollack of McGill University.
March 14, 1987:
Siddhartha for orchestra by Claude Vivier (†4) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
April 20, 1990:
Glaubst du an die Unsterblichkeit der Seele for chorus, speaker, three synthesizers, two percussionists, and other electronics by Claude Vivier (†7) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
June 12, 2005:
Learning for four violins and percussion by Claude Vivier (†22) is performed for the first time, in the Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam, 29 years after it was composed.
October 8, 2008:
Deva et Asura for chamber ensemble by Claude Vivier (†25) is performed for the first time, in the Werner-Otto-Saal of the Konzerthaus, Berlin, 36 years after it was composed.
September 18, 2010:
Hiérophanie for soprano and chamber ensemble by Claude Vivier (†27) is performed for the first time, in Cologne, 39 years after it was composed.
January 20, 2012:
Musik für das Ende for 20 voices and percussion by Claude Vivier (†28) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Parochialkirche, Berlin, 41 years after it was composed.