Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

Canada

Birth

:

July 18, 1933 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

Death

:

August 14, 2021

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Vocal

 

R. Murray Schafer is a Canadian composer, writer, and educator who is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in contemporary classical music. Born on July 18, 1933, in Sarnia, Ontario, Schafer grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He later studied music at the University of Toronto, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1955 and a Master of Music degree in 1956. After completing his studies, Schafer worked as a music teacher and composer in Canada and Europe. He gained international recognition in the 1960s and 1970s for his innovative approach to music composition, which incorporated elements of theater, performance art, and environmental soundscapes. His works often featured unconventional instruments and performers, such as children's choirs, percussion ensembles, and actors. One of Schafer's most famous works is "The Patriarch's Pageant," a large-scale outdoor performance piece that premiered in 1968. The piece involved a procession of performers and musicians who moved through a forest, creating a sonic and visual spectacle that was designed to evoke a sense of ritual and community. The piece was widely praised for its innovative use of space and sound, and it helped establish Schafer as a leading figure in the Canadian avant-garde music scene. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Schafer continued to push the boundaries of classical music composition, experimenting with new forms and techniques. He also became increasingly interested in the relationship between music and the natural world, and he began to incorporate environmental sounds and field recordings into his works. One of his most famous pieces from this period is "Wolf Music," a composition for six percussionists and a chorus of howling wolves that premiered in 1977. In addition to his work as a composer, Schafer is also known for his writings on music and sound. He has published several books, including "The Tuning of the World" (1977), which explores the role of sound in human culture and the environment. The book has been widely influential in the fields of acoustic ecology and sound studies, and it helped establish Schafer as a leading voice in the movement to promote environmental awareness through sound. In the 1990s and 2000s, Schafer continued to compose and teach, and he received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music and culture. In 1991, he was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors, and in 2005, he was awarded the Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts. He has also been recognized by the Canadian Music Council, the Canadian League of Composers, and the Royal Society of Canada. Today, Schafer is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century. His innovative approach to music composition, his commitment to environmental awareness, and his contributions to the fields of acoustic ecology and sound studies have had a profound impact on the world of music and culture. His works continue to be performed and studied by musicians and scholars around the world, and his legacy as a composer and educator remains an inspiration to generations of artists and thinkers.

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