Desmond Gaspar
Encyclopedia
Desmond Gaspar is a Canadian organist
, pianist
, conductor
, composer
and songwriter
who is currently working as a free lance concert artist and ballet
pianist.
Gaspar studied under Earle Moss (piano), Molly Sclater (theory), Roman Toi
(composition) and Heather Spry (organ and church music) from the University of Toronto
and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto
, during which time he received numerous performance and competition awards.
His eclectic career in liturgical music
, dance accompaniment, choir-directing and other disciplines has taken him to various venues in Canada
, the United States of America and Europe
.
A Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists
(winning the Associateship and Fellowship Diplomas in consecutive years as well as the Charles Peaker and the Healey Willan Prizes respectively with those attempts, scoring the highest mark in Canada for the latter), Gaspar was one of a very small number of Canadians who won that professional designation under the age of thirty at the time of his receiving it. He has also conducted chamber orchestras, massed choirs and jazz combos in addition to writing a number of uniquely-crafted classical songs (based on T.S. Eliot's cycle "Prufrock and Other Observations). In 2007 he appeared in Los Angeles
at the "TAXI" convention in a gala promo event featuring some original songs from his collection, entitled, "The Dancer and I."
From 2005-2007 Gaspar stepped in as Associate Organist at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
, London, Ontario
, where he performed in the Cathedral concert series as organ accompanist which often featured members of Orchestra London
- and where he was publicly declared "A World Class Musician" on two occasions by the Cathedral Dean, now Bishop, Terry Dance.
Gaspar also works as a ballet accompanist at the prestigious Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance, one of Canada's foremost ballet schools featuring many world-class dancers and artists. He was accompanist for Glenn Gilmour of the National Ballet School and currently plays for Tara Butler, a principal dancer with Ballet Jorgan
.
, Ontario
, Canada, began his music studies at a young age with trumpet
and demonstrated very considerable musical ability at an early age. His teacher, Ben Rose, observed a good ear in him when he could tell how the notes of the trumpet differed from those on the piano
(the trumpet being a transposing instrument.). By age thirteen, after having learned the Haydn trumpet concerto and the challenging Puedert Studies, he began to show more interest in the piano and abandoned the trumpet altogether for some twenty five years. After having finished with his piano and then later, organ studies, he resumed playing jazz trumpet with Jack Hayter and the Con Brio Band in Stratford
as well as with the dance band "The Royal Aires".
In 2002, he took a long working sabbatical to focus on composition, song writing, jazz
and other disciplines and has worked intermittently as a church musician including his short stint at the London Cathedral. He performed two full length recitals in 2010 in addition to some other guest solo appearances and continues his work as a Ballet accompanist on a regular basis in Toronto.
Prufrock (Song Cycle based upon poems by T.S. Eliot): Lovesong, Portrait, Prelude #1, Prelude #2, Prelude #3;
Lo and Behold
Choral: Agnus Dei (setting for SATB choir, divided passages and solo-soprano passage included)
Pop-Songs (Voice and Piano):
Dancer and I (Collection): Dancing 'round the Fire, Dancing Alone, Happy and Free, Dreams For Two, Dancing with you, Beautiful Dancer, Mystic Dreams, The Dancer and I, Playful Colours, Lovesong, Magick
Lovers (Collection): Crazy 'bout you, Coming Home, Penny Love
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...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, composer
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...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
who is currently working as a free lance concert artist and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
pianist.
Gaspar studied under Earle Moss (piano), Molly Sclater (theory), Roman Toi
Roman Toi
Roman Toi is a Canadian composer, choir conductor, and organist. Influenced by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Toi's music is melodic, lyrical, and melancholic in style. His compositional output includes nine cantatas , three symphonies , and more than 80 choral works...
(composition) and Heather Spry (organ and church music) from 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...
and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, during which time he received numerous performance and competition awards.
His eclectic career in liturgical music
Liturgical music
Liturgical music originated as a part of religious ceremony, and includes a number of traditions, both ancient and modern. Liturgical music is well known as a part of Catholic Mass, the Anglican Holy Communion service , the Lutheran Divine Service, the Orthodox liturgy and other Christian services...
, dance accompaniment, choir-directing and other disciplines has taken him to various venues in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States of America and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
A Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists
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....
(winning the Associateship and Fellowship Diplomas in consecutive years as well as the Charles Peaker and the Healey Willan Prizes respectively with those attempts, scoring the highest mark in Canada for the latter), Gaspar was one of a very small number of Canadians who won that professional designation under the age of thirty at the time of his receiving it. He has also conducted chamber orchestras, massed choirs and jazz combos in addition to writing a number of uniquely-crafted classical songs (based on T.S. Eliot's cycle "Prufrock and Other Observations). In 2007 he appeared in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the "TAXI" convention in a gala promo event featuring some original songs from his collection, entitled, "The Dancer and I."
From 2005-2007 Gaspar stepped in as Associate Organist at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, Ontario
St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ontario, Canada is the seat of the Diocese of Huron of the Anglican Church of Canada. It was designed in the Gothic revival style by William Thomas and built between 1844 and 1846, replacing the previous church, which was built in 1834 and burned down in 1844. It is...
, London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, where he performed in the Cathedral concert series as organ accompanist which often featured members of Orchestra London
Orchestra London Canada
Orchestra London Canada is a professional Canadian symphony orchestra based in London, Ontario. The orchestra was founded by conductor and violinist Bruce Sharpe in 1937 with the name the London Civic Symphony Orchestra. In 1957 the orchestra changed its name to the London Symphony Orchestra, and...
- and where he was publicly declared "A World Class Musician" on two occasions by the Cathedral Dean, now Bishop, Terry Dance.
Gaspar also works as a ballet accompanist at the prestigious Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance, one of Canada's foremost ballet schools featuring many world-class dancers and artists. He was accompanist for Glenn Gilmour of the National Ballet School and currently plays for Tara Butler, a principal dancer with Ballet Jorgan
Ballet Jörgen Canada
Ballet Jörgen Canada is Canada’s fifth largest ballet company and the nation’s only major ballet company with a repertoire consisting exclusively of original works. It was founded in 1987 by Bengt Jörgen and Susan Bodie and is based in Toronto, Ontario. The company also has hubs in Ottawa,...
.
Personal life
Gaspar, born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada, began his music studies at a young age with trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and demonstrated very considerable musical ability at an early age. His teacher, Ben Rose, observed a good ear in him when he could tell how the notes of the trumpet differed from those on the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(the trumpet being a transposing instrument.). By age thirteen, after having learned the Haydn trumpet concerto and the challenging Puedert Studies, he began to show more interest in the piano and abandoned the trumpet altogether for some twenty five years. After having finished with his piano and then later, organ studies, he resumed playing jazz trumpet with Jack Hayter and the Con Brio Band in Stratford
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
as well as with the dance band "The Royal Aires".
In 2002, he took a long working sabbatical to focus on composition, song writing, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and other disciplines and has worked intermittently as a church musician including his short stint at the London Cathedral. He performed two full length recitals in 2010 in addition to some other guest solo appearances and continues his work as a Ballet accompanist on a regular basis in Toronto.
List of compositions
Lieder (Art Songs - Voice and Piano):Prufrock (Song Cycle based upon poems by T.S. Eliot): Lovesong, Portrait, Prelude #1, Prelude #2, Prelude #3;
Lo and Behold
Choral: Agnus Dei (setting for SATB choir, divided passages and solo-soprano passage included)
Pop-Songs (Voice and Piano):
Dancer and I (Collection): Dancing 'round the Fire, Dancing Alone, Happy and Free, Dreams For Two, Dancing with you, Beautiful Dancer, Mystic Dreams, The Dancer and I, Playful Colours, Lovesong, Magick
Lovers (Collection): Crazy 'bout you, Coming Home, Penny Love
External links
- http://www.yorkregion.com/ York Region Website
- http://www.orgalt.com/ Organ Alternatives Journal
- http://events.simcoe.com/ Simcoe County website
- http://www.town.collingwood.on.ca/ Town of Collingwood website, Collingwood, Ontario
- http://www.newmarket.ca/ Town of Newmarket website, Newmarket, Ontario
- http://www.stratfordgazette.com/editorial/article/101697 Stratford Gazette Newspaper, Stratford, Ontario
- http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?n=elizabeth-anne-grice-crawford&pid=126318874 Obituary of Heather Spry's mother mentioning her daughter's prior decease, Toronto, Ontario
- http://www.seanboutilier.com/ Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance, Toronto, Ontario
- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7161/is_201102/ Piano Accompanists Online Directory, Based in London, UK (Europe)
- http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/robinwilhelm CD by Glenn & Robin Wilhelm FOR THE FATHER AND THE SON