Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

1932

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Vocal

 

Ruth Watson Henderson is a Canadian composer and pianist who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on August 19, 1932, in Toronto, Canada, Henderson grew up in a musical family. Her father, Walter Watson, was a composer and conductor, and her mother, Margaret Watson, was a pianist. Henderson began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Henderson received her early education at Havergal College in Toronto, where she studied piano and composition. She went on to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where she earned her ARCT in piano performance and her ARCT in theory and composition. She also studied at the University of Toronto, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree in composition. Henderson's career as a composer began in the 1950s, when she started writing music for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). She composed music for radio dramas, documentaries, and other programs. In 1959, she won the CBC's National Radio Competition for Composers, which helped to launch her career as a composer. Henderson's early works were influenced by the music of her father, who was a composer of choral music. She wrote a number of choral works in the 1960s and 1970s, including "The Magic of God's World," "The Lord is My Shepherd," and "The Beatitudes." These works were well-received and helped to establish Henderson as a leading composer of choral music in Canada. In the 1980s, Henderson began to explore other genres of music, including opera and orchestral music. She wrote her first opera, "The Masque of Angels," in 1983, which was based on a play by Canadian playwright James Reaney. The opera was well-received and helped to establish Henderson as a composer of opera. Henderson's orchestral works include "Fanfare for a New Day," which was commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1987, and "The Four Seasons," which was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1990. These works showcase Henderson's skill as an orchestrator and her ability to write music that is both complex and accessible. Henderson's music is characterized by its lyricism, its use of rich harmonies, and its incorporation of elements of folk music. She has been praised for her ability to write music that is both modern and accessible, and for her ability to write music that is both challenging and rewarding for performers. Henderson has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the world of classical music. In 1996, she was awarded the Order of Canada, which is the highest civilian honor in Canada. She has also been awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. Henderson continues to compose music and perform as a pianist. She is a member of the Canadian Music Centre and the Canadian League of Composers, and her music is performed regularly by choirs and orchestras around the world. She has also served as a mentor to many young composers and musicians, and has been an advocate for the promotion of Canadian music. In conclusion, Ruth Watson Henderson is a Canadian composer and pianist who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Her music is characterized by its lyricism, its use of rich harmonies, and its incorporation of elements of folk music.

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