Ruth watson henderson biography meaning

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The Elmer Iseler Singers devoted an entire CD, “Sing All Ye Joyful”, to Ruth’s works.

Although most widely known for her prolific body of choral works, Ms Watson Henderson also writes for piano, organ, and other instruments. She has also written a wide spectrum of acclaimed works for adult choirs, beginning while accompanist of the Festival Singers under Dr.

Elmer Iseler.

Her works are commissioned, performed and recorded worldwide, by such well-known choirs as the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Toronto Children’s Chorus, Exultate Chamber Singers, and the University of Toronto choirs. Her works are known for their use of modal and impressionistic harmonies. In 1992 her Voices of Earth won the National Choral Award for Outstanding Choral Composition.

She has often been described as a “Canadian national treasure”.

She has done much to promote the artistry of children through her wealth of compositions for treble voices, using the expertise gleaned over 29 years as accompanist of the Toronto Children’s Chorus under Jean Ashworth Bartle. In 1992 her Voices of Earth won the National Choral Award for Outstanding Choral Composition.

She was also music director for Kingsway Lampton United Church in Toronto from 1996 to 2013.

An associate of the Canadian Music Centre, Watson Henderson’s compositional output includes works for organ, piano, violin, string orchestra, and more than 80 choral pieces. She was also musicdirector for KingswayLamptonUnitedChurch in Toronto from 1996 to 2013.

An associate of the CanadianMusic Centre, Watson Henderson's compositionaloutputincludesworks for organ, piano, violin.

She also played with some frequency on Canadian Broadcasting Company Radio.

After this, she moved to Manitoba where she lived in Winnipeg until 1961.

After a few years in Kitchener, she returned to Toronto where she still resides. In 1996 she received the Distinguished Service Award of the Ontario Choral Federation.

She was the accompanist for the FestivalSingers of Canadaunder Dr. ElmerIseler for many years and for the Toronto Children's Chorusunder Jean AshworthBartle from its inception in 1978 to 2007. From 1952-1954 she studied at the Mannes College of Music in New York City with Hans Neumann (pianist).

Watson Henderson made her professional concert debut in 1952 in Toronto and quickly became active as a solo concert pianist with symphony orchestras throughout Canada.

In 1989 her ChromaticPartita for Organ won a prize in an InternationalCompetition for WomenComposers in Mannheim, Germany. 1932) is a Canadian composer and pianist.

Her works are known for their use of modal and impressionistic harmonies.

Born Ruth Louise Watson in Toronto, Watson Henderson studied the piano with Viggo Kihl from 1937-1945.

She then entered The Royal Conservatory of Music where she studied from 1945–1952 and earned an associates diploma in 1949 and a licentiate diploma in 1951.

She also studied composition privately with Oskar Morawetz, Samuel Dolin and Richard Johnston.

She was also music director for Kingsway Lampton United Church in Toronto from 1996 to 2013.

Education

The Royal Conservatory of Music. In 1996 she received the DistinguishedServiceAward of the OntarioChoral Federation. string orchestra, and more than 80 choral pieces. She was the accompanist for the Festival Singers of Canada under Dr.

Elmer Iseler for many years and for the Toronto Children’s Chorus under Jean Ashworth Bartle from its inception in 1978 to 2007. One organ work, “Celebration”, won a worldwide competition honouring the Royal Canadian College of Organists’ Centennial, thus earning the piece a première at Westminster Abbey.

Recognized for her lifetime of service to music, Ruth has been paid many great tributes by the music community, not the least of these being the myriad concerts devoted solely to her works by national and international choirs, often with the composer at the keyboard.

Although she is no longer actively playing in public, Ruth’s music is still widely performed.

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