she was born anaïs allard in sainte-monique de nicolet; she was the sister of jean victor allard. she studied music, education, philosophy and botany. in 1926, she married arthur rousseau, mayor of trois-rivières, and settled in trois-rivières. in 1942, she founded les rendez-vous artistiques, a concert society, and established the club andré-mathieu, a series of concerts for young people. in 1949, she helped found the (jmc); she served as its president from 1954 to 1956 and was delegate for the jmc to various international conventions. from 1952 to 1955, she was vice-president of the international federation of the jeunesses musicales. she taught courses in music and fine arts at the école normale du christ-roi, the centre d'études universitaires and the école normale maurice-duplessis in trois-rivières. she also helped found the conservatoire de trois rivières.