Composer Ann Southam.
Yesterday, I read that Canadian composer Ann Southam, who passed away last November, donated $14 million to the Canadian Woman’s Foundation. You can read the announcement here, in the Toronto Star.
You’ll have to read down to paragraph 12 to find out that she wrote music – but for many in Canada’s contemporary music community, she was a composer first and foremost. In fact, she was a brilliant composer, forging a kind of minimalism that was fresh and distinctive. Her reputation continues to grow. (If you don’t know her music, click here.)
You’ll have to read down to paragraph 12 to find out that she wrote music – but for many in Canada’s contemporary music community, she was a composer first and foremost. In fact, she was a brilliant composer, forging a kind of minimalism that was fresh and distinctive. Her reputation continues to grow. (If you don’t know her music, click here.)
Of course, she didn’t earn her $14 million writing “contemporary classical” music: she was an heir to the Southam newspaper fortune. But she never used her wealth to throw her weight around. And she was a long-standing benefactor to the Canadian Music Centre and other musical organizations. With this bequest, her generosity will serve a good cause for many years to come.
I only met Southam a couple of times, just to say hello – and I regret now that didn’t know her better. However, this summer, I was pleased to include her in an essay on my favourite (deceased) Canadian composers, which appeared in Queen’s Quarterly. I mentioned the essay here on my blog a couple of weeks ago. But if you missed it, here’s a link.
© Colin Eatock 2011
I only met Southam a couple of times, just to say hello – and I regret now that didn’t know her better. However, this summer, I was pleased to include her in an essay on my favourite (deceased) Canadian composers, which appeared in Queen’s Quarterly. I mentioned the essay here on my blog a couple of weeks ago. But if you missed it, here’s a link.
© Colin Eatock 2011
RSS Feed
