Role

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Composer

Birth

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1938

 

Donald Patriquin is a Canadian composer, arranger, and conductor who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on October 21, 1938, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Patriquin grew up in a musical family. His father was a church organist, and his mother was a pianist. Patriquin began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Patriquin received his formal music education at McGill University in Montreal, where he studied composition with Istvan Anhalt and piano with Lubka Kolessa. After completing his studies, Patriquin worked as a music teacher in Quebec and Ontario. He also served as the music director at several churches, including St. Andrew's United Church in Toronto and St. George's Anglican Church in Montreal. Throughout his career, Patriquin has composed a wide range of music, including choral works, instrumental pieces, and operas. His compositions are known for their intricate harmonies, rhythmic complexity, and use of folk music elements. Patriquin has also gained a reputation as a skilled arranger, having arranged numerous traditional folk songs and hymns for choir and other ensembles. One of Patriquin's most famous works is his choral setting of the traditional French-Canadian folk song "J'entends le moulin." The piece, which Patriquin arranged in 1974, has become a staple of choral repertoire and has been performed by choirs around the world. Patriquin's arrangement of "J'entends le moulin" features intricate harmonies and a lively, dance-like rhythm that captures the spirit of the original folk song. Another notable work by Patriquin is his opera "The Ecstasy of Rita Joe," which premiered in 1992. The opera, which is based on the play of the same name by George Ryga, tells the story of a young Indigenous woman who leaves her home on a reserve to pursue a better life in the city. The opera explores themes of identity, cultural conflict, and the legacy of colonialism. Patriquin's score for the opera features a blend of Western classical music and Indigenous musical elements, including drumming and chanting. In addition to his original compositions, Patriquin has also gained recognition for his arrangements of traditional hymns and folk songs. His arrangements of hymns such as "Amazing Grace" and "Be Thou My Vision" have become popular with church choirs, while his arrangements of folk songs such as "Shenandoah" and "Danny Boy" have been performed by a wide range of ensembles. Throughout his career, Patriquin has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music. In 2001, he was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to Canadian music. He has also received the Canadian Music Centre's Composer of the Year award and the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors' Outstanding Choral Composition award. Today, Patriquin continues to compose and arrange music from his home in Montreal. His works are performed by choirs and ensembles around the world, and his contributions to the world of classical music have earned him a place among Canada's most celebrated composers.

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