Donald Patriquin
Encyclopedia
Donald Patriquin is a composer
, organist
, and choral conductor. Known internationally for choral and instrumental arrangements of folk music
, Patriquin was a member of the Faculty of Music of McGill University
from 1965 to 1996. He currently resides in the Eastern Townships
of Quebec.
in 1959 before beginning his formal studies in music. He studied composition at McGill University
with István Anhalt
and at the University of Toronto
with John Weinzwig, earning a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill in 1964 and an M.A. from Toronto in 1970. He also holds an A.Mus. degree in organ performance from McGill and an RCCO
licentiate.
elements. Trois mois, composed in 1982, includes a diaporama
, and Earthpeace II, a 1998 composition commemorating the victims of Chernobyl, is written for dancers and choir.
His music is published by Earthsongs
, A Tempo, and Canadian International Music.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, and choral conductor. Known internationally for choral and instrumental arrangements of folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, Patriquin was a member of the Faculty of Music of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
from 1965 to 1996. He currently resides in the Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
of Quebec.
Musical background
Patriquin began composing at the age of 11, winning several awards through his youth while studying composition with Jean Papineau-Couture during summer sessions. He completed a biology degree at Bishop's UniversityBishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
in 1959 before beginning his formal studies in music. He studied composition at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
with István Anhalt
István Anhalt
István Anhalt, is a Canadian composer.-Biography:Anhalt was born into a Jewish family in Budapest in 1919 and studied with Zoltan Kodaly before being conscripted into a forced labor camp during World War II...
and at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
with John Weinzwig, earning a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill in 1964 and an M.A. from Toronto in 1970. He also holds an A.Mus. degree in organ performance from McGill and an RCCO
Royal Canadian College of Organists
The Royal Canadian College of Organists , founded in 1909,is a national association of organists and church musicians in Canada, with 32 centres from Victoria, British Columbia to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.The National Office is in Toronto....
licentiate.
Music
Patriquin's compositions are best known for the use of folk music elements, and in his instrumental work for abstract noises imitating sounds of nature. This compositional style can be seen in such pieces as the Fantasy for Fiddle and the Hangman's Reel/Suite Carignan. Some of Patriquin's works include visual or other multimediaMultimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
elements. Trois mois, composed in 1982, includes a diaporama
Diaporama
A Diaporama is a photographic slideshow, sometimes with accompanying audio. The word shares etymological roots with the English words diorama and panorama, both of which come from the Greek root horama, meaning "a view." Salon columnist Camille Paglia used the term as early as March 2008 when she...
, and Earthpeace II, a 1998 composition commemorating the victims of Chernobyl, is written for dancers and choir.
His music is published by Earthsongs
Earthsongs
Earthsongs, released in 2005, is the eighth album by Secret Garden."Always There" is another song written with lyrics by Brendan Graham and performed by Russell Watson, and also covered by Jan Werner Danielsen....
, A Tempo, and Canadian International Music.
Discography
- En la Fête de Noël - O Holy Night. Various artists, 1999. Naxos
- Songs of Light. Jean Ashworth BartleJean Ashworth BartleJean Ashworth Bartle, CM, O.Ont Choral conductor, Teacher and Founder/Conductor Laureate of the Toronto Children's Chorus....
conductor, Ruth Watson Henderson piano, Toronto Children's ChorusToronto Children's ChorusFounded in 1978 by Jean Ashworth Bartle,C.M. , O.Ont., the Toronto Children's Chorus has existed for thirty years and is established as one of the world's premiere choral ensembles for children, whose artistry has inspired audiences, critics and children's choirs everywhere. Over 300 Toronto-area...
. Marquis Classics, 253 (CD)
Choral - a capella
- Take, O Take Those Lips Away. 1962
- The Greenwood Tree. 1963
- A Lover and His Lass. 1965
- Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair, arr. 1968
- Sortilege. 1979
- Magnificat. 1983
- Il est né le divin enfant, arr. 1989
- Sixtyfold Amen. 1989
- An Old Gaelic Blessing. 1990
- Antiphon and the Child of Mary. 1992
Choral - with accompaniment
- A Child's Carol. 1952 rev. 1992
- Six Songs of Early Canada, arr. 1980 rev. 1992
- Listen Sweet Dove. 1981
- Six Noëls Anciens, arr. 1982
- Songs of Innocence. 1984
- Carol of the Fieldmice. 1985, rev. 1992
- Chantons Noël. 1985 rev. 1992
- Earthpeace Two. 1988
- All Through the Night. arr. 1989
- Introit. 1990
- Prayer of Saint Francis. 1990
- Requiem at Sea (The Titanic). 1992
- 'A Soalin', arr. 1992
- On Christmas Day, arr. 1992
- J'entends le Moulin, arr. 1992
- Sister Mary Had One Child, arr. 1992
- Un Canadien errant, arr. 1993
- Overture to Christmas. 1993
- The Five Seasons. 1997
- World Music Suite. 1997
- Mass for the Caribbean. 1998
- Canadian Mosaic. 2000
- Psalms & Canticles of Praise and Peace. 2003
- Three love songs from the British Isles. 2007
Instrumental/Other
- Fantasy for Fiddle. 1975
- Hangman's Reel/Suite Carignan. 1978
- Blanche de Percé (for narrator, guitar, flute and percussion). 1982
- Trois mois. 1982
- Cycles (for soprano, piano and clarinet). 2004
- Louisa's Story (musical with librettoLibrettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Sunil Mahtani). 2005