William Henry Hewlett was a Canadian 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...

, 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...

, 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...

, and music educator of English birth.

Early life and education

Born in Batheaston

Batheaston

Batheaston is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England , on the north bank of the River Avon. The parish has a population of 2,625...

, Hewlett was a treble

Boy soprano

A boy soprano is a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. Although a treble, or choirboy, may also be considered to be a boy soprano, the more colloquial term boy soprano is generally only used for boys who sing, perform, or record as soloists, and who may not necessarily...

 in the choir at Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey

The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England...

 as a boy. In 1884, at the age of 11, he emigrated to Canada where his family ultimately settled in 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...

. As a teenager he studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (TCM) where he graduated with the gold medal for organ performance in 1893. Among his teachers were Francesco D'Auria

Francesco D'Auria

Francesco Mariano D'Auria was an Italian conductor, composer, and music educator. He began his career in his native country but after 1881 he was active in North America...

 (orchestration), Arthur Elwell Fisher

Arthur Elwell Fisher

Arthur Elwell Fisher was an English composer, organist, violist, violinist, and music educator who was primarily active in North America. His compositional output includes String Trio in G, Opus 54, a Rhapsody for violin and orchestra, a Thanksgiving Cantata, several works for solo piano and solo...

 (music theory), Albert Ham (music theory), and A. S. Vogt (piano and organ). He later went to Europe to pursue advanced studies with pianist Ernst Jedliczka

Ernst Jedliczka

Ernst Jedliczka was a Russian-German pianist, piano pedagogue, and music critic. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition stated that Jedliczka "did much to spread Russian music in Germany, placing Russian composers in a prominent place within his concerts and devoting them to a series of...

 and composer Hans Pfitzner

Hans Pfitzner

Hans Erich Pfitzner was a German composer and self-described anti-modernist. His best known work is the post-Romantic opera Palestrina, loosely based on the life of the great sixteenth-century composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.-Biography:Pfitzner was born in Moscow, Russia, where his...

 in Berlin, and in London with pianist Vladimir Cernikoff.

Career

While a student at the TCM, Hewlett held the post of organist-choirmaster at Carlton St Methodist Church from 1890-1895. In 1894 he co-founded the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is a Canadian large vocal ensemble based in Toronto.The choir was co-founded in 1894 by Augustus S. Vogt and W. H. Hewlett. The ensemble was originally an extension of the choir of Jarvis St. Baptist Church in Toronto which Vogt directed and Hewlett accompanied. The...

, serving as the ensemble's served first accompanist from 1895-1897. In 1895 he moved to London, Ontario

London, 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...

 to assume the position of organist-choirmaster at Dundas Centre Methodist Church. From 1896-1902 he was the conductor of the London Vocal Society. Around this time he also served as accompanist for singers Ernestine Schumann-Heink

Ernestine Schumann-Heink

Ernestine Schumann-Heink was a celebrated Austrian, later American, operatic contralto, noted for the size, beauty, tonal richness, flexibility and wide range of her voice.- Early life:...

 and Dame Clara Butt in their Canadian recital tours.

In 1902 Hewlett relocated to Hamilton to assume the position of music director at Centenary Methodist Church where he remained until 1938. In 1907 he, along with J. E. P. Aldous

J. E. P. Aldous

John Edmund Paul Aldous was a Canadian organist, conductor, composer, and music educator of English birth. His compositional output includes many short pieces for piano, organ, choir, and voice...

 and Bruce Carey

Bruce Carey

Bruce Anderson Carey was a Canadian choir conductor, baritone, and music educator. He began his career in Hamilton, Ontario where he notably founded the Bach-Elgar Choir in 1905...

, became co-director of the Royal Hamilton College of Music

Royal Hamilton College of Music

The Royal Hamilton College of Music was a Canadian music conservatory in Hamilton, Ontario that was actively providing higher education in music during the late 19th century and 20th century...

. He became sole director in 1918, a position he held until 1939. From 1922-1935 he served as the conductor of 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...

, often leading the ensemble in performances with the Cleveland Orchestra

Cleveland Orchestra

The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...

. In 1927 he conducted a concert celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...

 with a 1000-voice choir. In 1928-1929 he was president of the Royal Canadian College of Organists

Royal Canadian College of Organists

The Royal Canadian College of Organists , founded in 1909,is a national association of organists and church musicians in Canada, with 32 centres from Victoria, British Columbia to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.The National Office is in Toronto....

. He was also active as an adjudicator and examiner throughout Canada during his career. He died in Bronte, Ontario

Bronte, Ontario

Bronte is the community that makes up much of the west end of Oakville, in Ontario, Canada. Twelve Mile Creek flows through the middle of town and empties into Lake Ontario. Main roads include Bronte Road , Lakeshore Road West and Rebecca Street...

in 1940.