Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

1959 in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada

Period

:

Romantic

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Peter Anthony Togni is a Canadian composer, organist, and choir director who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on October 27, 1959, in Pembroke, Ontario, Togni grew up in a musical family. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a singer. Togni started playing the piano at the age of four and began composing music when he was just eight years old. Togni's musical education began at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where he studied piano and composition. He later attended the University of Toronto, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition. Togni continued his studies at the University of British Columbia, where he earned a Master of Music degree in composition. Togni's early works were heavily influenced by the minimalist movement, which was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. However, he soon began to develop his own unique style, which blended elements of minimalism, Gregorian chant, and Eastern Orthodox liturgical music. One of Togni's most significant works is his Requiem, which was commissioned by the CBC Radio Orchestra in 2001. The Requiem is a setting of the Latin Mass for the Dead and features a choir, soloists, and orchestra. The work is notable for its use of Gregorian chant and its hauntingly beautiful melodies. Another notable work by Togni is his Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae, which was commissioned by the Elmer Iseler Singers in 2005. The work is a setting of the Lamentations of Jeremiah and features a choir and organ. The piece is notable for its use of dissonance and its powerful emotional impact. Togni has also composed a significant amount of music for the organ, including his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, which was commissioned by the Royal Canadian College of Organists in 2008. The work is a virtuosic tour de force that showcases Togni's mastery of the instrument. In addition to his work as a composer, Togni is also an accomplished organist and choir director. He has served as the director of music at St. Mary's Basilica in Halifax, Nova Scotia, since 1989. He has also served as the director of the Halifax Camerata Singers since 1990. Togni's contributions to the world of classical music have not gone unnoticed. He has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Order of Nova Scotia in 2015 and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He has also been commissioned by some of the world's leading orchestras and choirs, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Elmer Iseler Singers. In conclusion, Peter Anthony Togni is a Canadian composer, organist, and choir director who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. His unique style, which blends elements of minimalism, Gregorian chant, and Eastern Orthodox liturgical music, has earned him a reputation as one of Canada's most innovative composers. His works, including his Requiem and Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae, are notable for their emotional impact and hauntingly beautiful melodies. Togni's contributions to the world of classical music have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, and his music continues to be performed and admired by audiences around the world.

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