Charles Wilson (composer)
Encyclopedia
Charles Mills Wilson is a Canadian composer
, choral conductor, and music educator.
at the University of Toronto
, earning a Bachelors of Music in 1952 and a Doctorate of Music Composition in 1956. While at the University of Toronto, Wilson also studied at the Berkshire Music Center, at Tanglewood
, during the summers with such noted composers as Lukas Foss
, Aaron Copland
and Carlos Chávez
. He became interested in choral music and spent much of his time studying choral conducting. In 1953, Wilson taught music theory and conducted the University Chorale at the University of Saskatchewan
while simultaneously finishing his doctoral thesis/composition, Symphony in A. From 1954-1964 he served as the organist
and choirmaster at Chalmer United Church in Guelph
, Ontario
. While there he founded the Guelph Light Opera and Oratorio Company (later the Guelph Opera and Concert Singers) in 1955, conducting their performances until 1974. During these years he conducted choirs and bands and taught high school in the Guelph area and was for a time music supervisor of Guelph Township public schools. He also conducted the Bach-Elgar Choir
of Hamilton
from 1962–1974 and was the choirmaster of the Canadian Opera Company
from 1973–1981. In 1979 he was appointed to the faculty of music at the University of Guelph
where he later became composer-in-residence and the director of the electronic music
studio
. He retired in 1994.
while his latter output has been more focused on vocal music including operas, choral works, and art songs. He has written one oratorio, The Angels of the Earth (1966) and numerous operas. His opera Héloise and Abelard (1972) was commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company to mark its 25th anniversary and his opera Psycho Red (1977) was commissioned by the Guelph Spring Festival. His other operas include The Selfish Giant (1973), The Summoning of Everyman (1973), and
Kamouraska (1975).
Wilson has also composed works for the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus
, the Festival Singers of Canada
, the Canadian Brass
, and Dalhousie University
. He is an associate of the Canadian Music Centre
.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, choral conductor, and music educator.
Biography
Wilson began studying piano at age six with Wilfred Powell and later studied organ with Charles Peaker. He studied composition with Godfrey RidoutGodfrey Ridout
Godfrey Ridout was a Canadian composer, conductor, music educator, and writer. He contributed articles to numerous Canadian music publications, notably serving as the assistant editor of both Canadian Music and Canadian Review of Music and Art...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, earning a Bachelors of Music in 1952 and a Doctorate of Music Composition in 1956. While at the University of Toronto, Wilson also studied at the Berkshire Music Center, at Tanglewood
Tanglewood
Tanglewood is an estate and music venue in Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It is the home of the annual summer Tanglewood Music Festival and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, and has been the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home since 1937. It was the venue of the Berkshire Festival.- History...
, during the summers with such noted composers as Lukas Foss
Lukas Foss
Lukas Foss was a German-born American composer, conductor, and pianist.-Music career:He was born Lukas Fuchs in Berlin, Germany in 1922. His father was the philosopher and scholar Martin Fuchs...
, Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
and Carlos Chávez
Carlos Chávez
Carlos Antonio de Padua Chávez y Ramírez was a Mexican composer, conductor, music theorist, educator, journalist, and founder and director of the Mexican Symphonic Orchestra. He was influenced by native Mexican cultures. Of his six Symphonies, his Symphony No...
. He became interested in choral music and spent much of his time studying choral conducting. In 1953, Wilson taught music theory and conducted the University Chorale at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
while simultaneously finishing his doctoral thesis/composition, Symphony in A. From 1954-1964 he served as the organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and choirmaster at Chalmer United Church in Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. While there he founded the Guelph Light Opera and Oratorio Company (later the Guelph Opera and Concert Singers) in 1955, conducting their performances until 1974. During these years he conducted choirs and bands and taught high school in the Guelph area and was for a time music supervisor of Guelph Township public schools. He also conducted the Bach-Elgar Choir
Bach-Elgar Choir
The Bach-Elgar Choir is a community chorus of long standing in Hamilton, Ontario. The Choir is composed of accomplished amateur singers from Hamilton and neighbouring cities of Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga and Simcoe...
of Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
from 1962–1974 and was the choirmaster of the Canadian Opera Company
Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
from 1973–1981. In 1979 he was appointed to the faculty of music at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
where he later became composer-in-residence and the director of the electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
. He retired in 1994.
Compositions
As a composer, Wilson is known for employing an eclectic range of musical idioms from serialism to indeterminacy while maintaining a strong emotional lyricism and sense of tonality. His early compositions were primarily instrumental chamber musicChamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
while his latter output has been more focused on vocal music including operas, choral works, and art songs. He has written one oratorio, The Angels of the Earth (1966) and numerous operas. His opera Héloise and Abelard (1972) was commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company to mark its 25th anniversary and his opera Psycho Red (1977) was commissioned by the Guelph Spring Festival. His other operas include The Selfish Giant (1973), The Summoning of Everyman (1973), and
Kamouraska (1975).
Wilson has also composed works for the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus
Canadian Children's Opera Chorus
The Canadian Children's Opera Company was founded in 1968 by Ruby Mercer and Lloyd Bradshaw. The Chorus consists of five divisions of approximately 240 boys and girls aged 6 to 19. The Principal Chorus has over 80 choristers, and they participate as the children's chorus in productions by the...
, the Festival Singers of Canada
Festival Singers of Canada
The Festival Singers of Canada was a professional choir located in Toronto, Canada from 1954-1979. Founded in 1954 by Elmer Iseler as the Festival Singers of Toronto, the choir was heard first heard on CBC radio in a 1955 Good Friday broadcast of Bach's Christ lag in Todesbanden...
, the Canadian Brass
Canadian Brass
The Canadian Brass is a brass quintet founded by Dr. Charles Daellenbach and Gene Watts in 1970. In addition to maintaining a heavy international touring schedule, the Canadian Brass have recorded over 80 CDs and DVDs...
, and Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
. He is an associate of the Canadian Music Centre
Canadian Music Centre
The Canadian Music Centre holds Canada's largest collection of Canadian concert music. The CMC exists to promote the works of its Associate Composers in Canada and around the world....
.
Sources
- Elaine Keillor. The New Grove Dictionary of OperaNew Grove Dictionary of OperaThe New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes....
, edited by Stanley Sadie (1992), ISBN 0-333-73432-7 and ISBN 1-56159-228-5 - The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, by John Warrack and Ewan West (1992), ISBN 0-19-869164-5