Gerald Fagan
Encyclopedia
Gerald Richard Fagan, is considered one of Canada's premiere choral conductors
. He is currently Conductor and Artistic Director of Fanshawe Chorus London, The Gerald Fagan Singers, and the Concert Players Orchestra. He has been married to Marlene Fagan since 1961. They have five children; Leslie, Louise
, Judy, Jennifer and Jonathon.
on 19 September 1939 to Cyril and Nora Fagan.
He attended both elementary(Ealing Public School/Trafalgar Public School) and high school (Sir Adam Beck Secondary School) in London. He received his earliest music training from the Sisters of St. Joseph at Sacred Heart Convent. He attended the University of Western Ontario and was graduated with a B.A. in music in 1961. He studied conducting with Robert Shaw, score analysis with Julius Herford (Indiana), vocal pedagogy with William Vennard (University of California), and diction with Madeline Marshall (Juilliard).
In his distinguished career, he has conducted choirs from Russia
, South Africa
, the United States, Poland
, Taiwan
and Argentina
. Mr. Fagan has often been a judge for the Juno Awards, the CBC Choral Competition and was conductor of the 2001 Canada Summer Games Choir and Orchestra.
Fagan is the Conductor
of the Fanshawe Chorus London which consists of 110 musicians with its fully professional symphony (Concert Players Orchestra). Each season they perform the major works of the choir/orchestral repertoire.
The Gerald Fagan Singers, a semi professional chamber choir of 26 musicians, explore music of all eras suitable for a chamber ensemble. The two choirs have twice won the Lieutenant Governor's Award for the Arts based on their artistic performances, fiscal responsibility and dedication to Canadian composers.The Gerald Fagan Singers have travelled to ten countries since 1998, including England
, Belgium
, France
, Holland, Poland
, Lithuania
, Monaco
, Spain
, Czech Republic
and Germany
performing Canadian repertoire to new audiences.
Twice Artistic Director of the Ontario Youth Choir, Mr. Fagan was also the founding conductor of the Toronto
Mendelssohn Youth Choir and his talents have led him to conduct all -province choirs in New Brunswick
, Newfoundland and Labrador
, Prince Edward Island
, Ontario, Saskatchewan
, Manitoba
and Alberta
. Presented with the `Citizen's Medal' by President Adamkus of Lithuania
, he has also been honoured by Conservatory Canada with an Honourary Licentiate and chosen to conduct the Fagan Singers at the Monserrat Monastery Pilgrimage in Spain where they performed Pablo Casals
choral repertoire. Gerald Fagan has performed as conductor with Maureen Forrester
, Lois Marshall
, Victor Borge
, Ben Heppner
, Thomas Paul, Roberta Peters
, Janis Taylor, Gary Relyea, Leslie Fagan, Mark Du Bois, Mark Pedrotti, Darryl Edwards, Brian McIntosh and Mary Lou Fallis
.
In past seasons , he was Guest Conductor at Festival 500
in Newfoundland and Labrador
, a jurist for the CBC Choral Competition , a clinician in Halifax at Podium '98 and returned to Newfoundland's Festival 500 in 1999 to conduct choirs from around the world. Mr. Fagan is the Artistic Director of the Bach Music Festival of Canada, which will bring an international music celebration in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach to the heart of Southern Ontario in the summer of 2011.
In 2011, Mr. Fagan was awarded Ontario's highest civilian honor, the Order of Ontario
.
1971 Two first prize awards at the Cork International and Dance Festival
1973 Memorial Award at Canadian Music Educators Convention
1978 Founding Conductor, Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir/Founding Conductor Gerald Fagan Singers
1981 Conductor, Scarborough Summer Symphony Chorus/Conductor, Simcoe County All County Choir
1983 Founding Conductor, Concert Players Orchestra
1985 Gerald Fagan Singers Concert Tour, Newfoundland
1987 Appointed National Chair, Chamber Choirs of Canada by the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors
1989 One of three concert collaborations with Victor Borge
1991 Awarded Citizen of the Year by London City Council
1994 Honored as Citizen of the Year by the City of London and for his contribution to the Arts
1995 Release of compact disc of Messiah – Handel
, first all Canadian recording in 50 years
1996 Received Award of Distinction for contribution to choral music in Canada, awarded by the Ontario Choral Federation
1997 Guest Conductor, Newfoundland’s Festival 500, conducted choirs from Russia
, England
, Africa
, Cuba
, Taiwan
, Argentina
, Scotland
, United States
and Canada
Received Honorary Licentiate of Music from Conservatory Canada
The Gerald Fagan National Voice Scholarship established by Conservatory Canada
1998 Concert tour of England, Holland and Germany
with Gerald Fagan Singers, promoting Canadian Music
2000 Conducted Gerald Fagan Singers in performances in Holland, Germany
Conducted Gerald Fagan Singers in a private performance for President Adamkus, Royal Palace, Vilnius, Lithuania
Presented with Citizen’s Medal from President Adamkus(Lithuania)
CD "Songs Abroad" released by Gerald Fagan Singers
2001
Conductor of the Chorus and Orchestra at the Canada Summer Games
Released the CD "Trillium Christmas, Music of Ontario Composers"
2002
Conducted worldwide Rolling Requiem performance of Mozart’s Requiem honouring 9-11-2001 victims
2003
Was his Silver Anniversary as Conductor of the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus
He released the CD "Nice and Easy" featuring the Gerald Fagan Singers
2004
Saw the Third International Tour with Gerald Fagan Singers promoting Canadian music
They performed in Monaco
at the Royal Chapel, in France
at Pope’s Palace Avignon on Bastille Day
, in Spain
at the Monserrat Monastery and in Barcelona
at the Great Cathedral,Gaudi Church (They were the first choir to perform there)
2005
He was the Guest Conductor at the Festival 500, Newfoundland and Labrador
and at the Rochester Oratorio Society
2006
Gerald became the Founder/ Executive Director of "In Good Company, A Celebration of Women in the Arts"
Artistic Director/Conductor of the Ontario Youth Choir
2007
Fourth International Tour with Gerald Fagan Singers
They performed in the Czech Republic
at the Pilsen (Great Synagogue), Germany
at the Dresden State Opera and at the German Trade Conference.
2011 Awarded the Order of Ontario
. He is currently Conductor and Artistic Director of Fanshawe Chorus London, The Gerald Fagan Singers, and the Concert Players Orchestra. He has been married to Marlene Fagan since 1961. They have five children; Leslie, Louise
Louise Fagan
Patricia Louise Fagan is a Canadian director and producer. She is the founder of Louise Fagan Productions, located in London, Ontario.-Personal life:...
, Judy, Jennifer and Jonathon.
Biography
Gerald Fagan was born in London, OntarioLondon, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
on 19 September 1939 to Cyril and Nora Fagan.
He attended both elementary(Ealing Public School/Trafalgar Public School) and high school (Sir Adam Beck Secondary School) in London. He received his earliest music training from the Sisters of St. Joseph at Sacred Heart Convent. He attended the University of Western Ontario and was graduated with a B.A. in music in 1961. He studied conducting with Robert Shaw, score analysis with Julius Herford (Indiana), vocal pedagogy with William Vennard (University of California), and diction with Madeline Marshall (Juilliard).
In his distinguished career, he has conducted choirs from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the United States, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Mr. Fagan has often been a judge for the Juno Awards, the CBC Choral Competition and was conductor of the 2001 Canada Summer Games Choir and Orchestra.
Fagan is the Conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of the Fanshawe Chorus London which consists of 110 musicians with its fully professional symphony (Concert Players Orchestra). Each season they perform the major works of the choir/orchestral repertoire.
The Gerald Fagan Singers, a semi professional chamber choir of 26 musicians, explore music of all eras suitable for a chamber ensemble. The two choirs have twice won the Lieutenant Governor's Award for the Arts based on their artistic performances, fiscal responsibility and dedication to Canadian composers.The Gerald Fagan Singers have travelled to ten countries since 1998, including England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Holland, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
performing Canadian repertoire to new audiences.
Twice Artistic Director of the Ontario Youth Choir, Mr. Fagan was also the founding conductor of the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Mendelssohn Youth Choir and his talents have led him to conduct all -province choirs in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Ontario, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Presented with the `Citizen's Medal' by President Adamkus of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, he has also been honoured by Conservatory Canada with an Honourary Licentiate and chosen to conduct the Fagan Singers at the Monserrat Monastery Pilgrimage in Spain where they performed Pablo Casals
Pablo Casals
Pau Casals i Defilló , known during his professional career as Pablo Casals, was a Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor. He is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cellists of all time...
choral repertoire. Gerald Fagan has performed as conductor with Maureen Forrester
Maureen Forrester
Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, was a Canadian operatic contralto.-Life and career:Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in a poor section of Montreal, Quebec. She was one of four children to Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetmaker, and his Irish-born wife, the former May Arnold. She...
, Lois Marshall
Lois Marshall
Lois Catherine Marshall, CC was a Canadian soprano.In 1967, she was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. She was a Graduate of the University of Toronto....
, Victor Borge
Victor Borge
Victor Borge ,born Børge Rosenbaum, was a Danish comedian, conductor and pianist, affectionately known as The Clown Prince of Denmark,The Unmelancholy Dane,and The Great Dane.-Early life and career:...
, Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner
Ben Heppner, CC is a Canadian tenor, specializing in opera and other classical works for voice.Heppner was born in Murrayville, British Columbia, and lived in Dawson Creek...
, Thomas Paul, Roberta Peters
Roberta Peters
Roberta Peters is an American coloratura soprano.One of the most prominent American singers to achieve lasting fame and success in opera, Peters is noted for her 35-year association with the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York...
, Janis Taylor, Gary Relyea, Leslie Fagan, Mark Du Bois, Mark Pedrotti, Darryl Edwards, Brian McIntosh and Mary Lou Fallis
Mary Lou Fallis
Mary Lou Fallis is a Canadian opera singer. She performs both serious opera and comedic shows as the character Primadonna, a satirical take on popular stereotypes of opera divas....
.
In past seasons , he was Guest Conductor at Festival 500
Festival 500
Festival 500:Sharing the Voices is an international biennial non-competitive choral music festival held in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.-History:...
in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, a jurist for the CBC Choral Competition , a clinician in Halifax at Podium '98 and returned to Newfoundland's Festival 500 in 1999 to conduct choirs from around the world. Mr. Fagan is the Artistic Director of the Bach Music Festival of Canada, which will bring an international music celebration in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach to the heart of Southern Ontario in the summer of 2011.
In 2011, Mr. Fagan was awarded Ontario's highest civilian honor, the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
.
Career highlights
1958 Gold Medalist Piano Performance – Western Ontario Conservatory of Music1971 Two first prize awards at the Cork International and Dance Festival
1973 Memorial Award at Canadian Music Educators Convention
1978 Founding Conductor, Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir/Founding Conductor Gerald Fagan Singers
1981 Conductor, Scarborough Summer Symphony Chorus/Conductor, Simcoe County All County Choir
1983 Founding Conductor, Concert Players Orchestra
1985 Gerald Fagan Singers Concert Tour, Newfoundland
1987 Appointed National Chair, Chamber Choirs of Canada by the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors
1989 One of three concert collaborations with Victor Borge
Victor Borge
Victor Borge ,born Børge Rosenbaum, was a Danish comedian, conductor and pianist, affectionately known as The Clown Prince of Denmark,The Unmelancholy Dane,and The Great Dane.-Early life and career:...
1991 Awarded Citizen of the Year by London City Council
1994 Honored as Citizen of the Year by the City of London and for his contribution to the Arts
1995 Release of compact disc of Messiah – Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
, first all Canadian recording in 50 years
1996 Received Award of Distinction for contribution to choral music in Canada, awarded by the Ontario Choral Federation
1997 Guest Conductor, Newfoundland’s Festival 500, conducted choirs from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Received Honorary Licentiate of Music from Conservatory Canada
The Gerald Fagan National Voice Scholarship established by Conservatory Canada
1998 Concert tour of England, Holland and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with Gerald Fagan Singers, promoting Canadian Music
2000 Conducted Gerald Fagan Singers in performances in Holland, Germany
Conducted Gerald Fagan Singers in a private performance for President Adamkus, Royal Palace, Vilnius, Lithuania
Presented with Citizen’s Medal from President Adamkus(Lithuania)
CD "Songs Abroad" released by Gerald Fagan Singers
2001
Conductor of the Chorus and Orchestra at the Canada Summer Games
Released the CD "Trillium Christmas, Music of Ontario Composers"
2002
Conducted worldwide Rolling Requiem performance of Mozart’s Requiem honouring 9-11-2001 victims
2003
Was his Silver Anniversary as Conductor of the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus
He released the CD "Nice and Easy" featuring the Gerald Fagan Singers
2004
Saw the Third International Tour with Gerald Fagan Singers promoting Canadian music
They performed in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
at the Royal Chapel, in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at Pope’s Palace Avignon on Bastille Day
Bastille Day
Bastille Day is the name given in English-speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on 14 July of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale and commonly le quatorze juillet...
, in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
at the Monserrat Monastery and in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
at the Great Cathedral,Gaudi Church (They were the first choir to perform there)
2005
He was the Guest Conductor at the Festival 500, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and at the Rochester Oratorio Society
2006
Gerald became the Founder/ Executive Director of "In Good Company, A Celebration of Women in the Arts"
Artistic Director/Conductor of the Ontario Youth Choir
2007
Fourth International Tour with Gerald Fagan Singers
They performed in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
at the Pilsen (Great Synagogue), Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at the Dresden State Opera and at the German Trade Conference.
2011 Awarded the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...