Norman Alec Symonds was a Canadian composer

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...

, clarinet

Clarinet

The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...

ist, and saxophonist. A leading figure in the third-stream movement

Third stream

Third Stream is a term coined in 1957 by composer Gunther Schuller, within a lecture at Brandeis University, to describe a musical genre which is a synthesis of classical music and jazz...

 in Canada, he composed several jazz works which employed classical forms.

Life and career

Born in Nelson, British Columbia

Nelson, British Columbia

Nelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...

, Symonds grew up in Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...

 where he began playing the clarinet as a teenager. He served in the Royal Canadian Navy

Royal Canadian Navy

The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 from 1938-1945. While stationed in Halifax he played with a dixieland band

Dixieland

Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...

 under the direction of saxophonist Charles 'Bucky' Adams.

In 1945 Symonds entered The Royal Conservatory of Music where he studied clarinet, piano, theory, and harmony through 1948. He then studied privately for several years with Gordon Delamont

Gordon Delamont

Gordon Arthur Delamont was a Canadian music educator, author, composer, and trumpeter. He is best remembered for his work as an educator, having helped shape the talents of dozens of notable musicians in Toronto. He also published several books on musical theory topics which have been used widely...

 in Toronto. From 1949-1966 he worked actively as a clarinetist, alto and baritone saxophonist and arranger with several dance band

Dance band

Dance band can be one of several kinds of musical ensemble:* British dance band* Dansband, a Swedish pop genre* A Eurodance band...

s in Toronto, including those led by Leo Romanelli, Bobby Gimby

Bobby Gimby

Bobby Gimby, was a Canadian orchestra leader, trumpeter, and singer/songwriter.-Biography:He was born Robert Stead Gimby in Cabri, Saskatchewan where he played in a boys' band. He was a member of the popular radio show The Happy Gang...

, and Benny Louis. From 1953-1957 he played with and directed his own jazz octet whose members also included Ed Bickert

Ed Bickert

Edward Isaac "Ed" Bickert, CM is a Canadian jazz guitarist.-Early life:Second youngest of his family, Bickert was born in Hochfeld, Manitoba; his family moved shortly after he was born to Vernon, British Columbia...

, Ron Collier

Ron Collier

Ron Collier, was a Canadian jazz trombonist, composer and arranger.Collier was born in Vancouver and attended Vancouver Tech. He studied music privately in Toronto with Gordon Delamont...

, Ross Culley, Bernie Piltch, Jack Richardson, and Jerry Toth

Jerry Toth

Jerry Toth was a Canadian saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, arranger, composer, and record producer.-Life and career:...

. The ensemble notably performed at the Stratford Festival in 1956.