Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1928

Death

:

1991

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Orchestral

 

Morley Calvert was a Canadian composer and conductor who was born on August 19, 1928, in Brantford, Ontario. He was the son of a Salvation Army bandmaster, and his early exposure to music was through his father's band. Calvert began playing the cornet at a young age and quickly showed a talent for music. He went on to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where he received a diploma in trumpet performance. After completing his studies, Calvert joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Symphony Orchestra as a trumpet player. He also played with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra. In addition to his work as a performer, Calvert began to compose music, and his first major work was a suite for brass band called "Canadian Impressions." Calvert's career as a composer took off in the 1950s and 1960s, and he became known for his works for brass band and wind ensemble. He was particularly interested in exploring the possibilities of the brass band, which he saw as a uniquely Canadian musical tradition. Calvert's compositions for brass band include "Suite from the Monteregian Hills," "From the New World," and "Canadian Folk Song Suite." In addition to his work as a composer, Calvert was also a respected conductor. He conducted the CBC Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He was also the conductor of the Hannaford Street Silver Band, a Toronto-based brass band that he helped to found in 1983. Calvert's music is characterized by its lyricism, its use of folk melodies, and its incorporation of elements of jazz and popular music. His compositions for brass band are particularly notable for their use of unusual instrumental combinations and their innovative use of percussion. One of Calvert's most famous works is his "Suite from the Monteregian Hills," which was commissioned by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1963. The suite is based on the folk music of Quebec and is scored for brass band and percussion. It is divided into four movements, each of which is named after a mountain in the Monteregian Hills. The suite is notable for its use of unusual instrumental combinations, such as the use of a flugelhorn and a euphonium in the second movement. Another of Calvert's notable works is his "Canadian Folk Song Suite," which was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1962. The suite is scored for brass band and features arrangements of six traditional Canadian folk songs, including "Land of the Silver Birch" and "Un Canadien Errant." The suite is notable for its use of percussion, which includes a washboard, a cowbell, and a wood block. Calvert's music has been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world, and he has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to Canadian music. He was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1997, and in 2000, he was awarded the Canadian Music Council's Composer of the Year Award. Morley Calvert died on August 3, 1991, in Toronto, Ontario. He is remembered as one of Canada's most important composers and conductors, and his music continues to be performed and celebrated today.

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