Ezra Schabas
Encyclopedia
Ezra Schabas is a Canadian musician, educator and author who lives in Toronto
, Ontario
. He has been active in Canada's musical life since 1952 when he emigrated from New York City
with his wife Ann Schabas and two sons William
and Richard. During his time in Canada, he has been a leading musical educator and administrator in Toronto's musical institutions, has published several books on Canadian music history and has been appointed to the Order of Ontario
and made a Member of the Order of Canada
.
on April 24, 1924 to Jewish parents. He attended the Juilliard School
for clarinet where he studied with clarinetist Arthur Christmann and educators Hans Letz and Rose Marie Grentzer. The interruption of World War II
led Schabas to leave Juilliard in 1943 with an Artist Diploma to serve with the US Army forces in France. While overseas, he attended the Nancy Conservatory before returning to New York City in 1946.
Upon his return, Schabas completed his Bachelor of Science at Juilliard in 1947 followed by a Master of Arts at Columbia University
in 1948. For the next few years, he studied in a variety of places, including the Eastman School of Music
in Rochester, NY, the American Conservatory
at Fontainebleau
, France
as well as privately in New York with David Weber
and in Paris
with Gaston Hamelin. Between 1950 and 1952, he taught at the University of Massachusetts
and Western Reserve University in Cleveland before moving to Toronto to teach clarinet at the Royal Conservatory of Music
, eventually becoming a Canadian citizen.
, one of Canada's most esteemed music education institutions that has trained artists including Oscar Peterson
, Glenn Gould
and Sarah McLachlan
. During his eight year tenure teaching at the Conservatory, Schabas's clarinet pupils included Brian Barley, Paul Grice, Howard Knopf, Timothy Maloney, Peter Smith, and Patricia Wait. As the director of concert and placement bureau, he helped find engagements for young artists such as Jon Vickers
and Lois Marshall
.
In 1960, Schabas helped to found the National Youth Orchestra
, a musical not for profit dedicated to discovering and nurturing talented young Canadian musicians, and acted as the Orchestra's first administrator. That same year, he was appointed to the University of Toronto
's faculty of music, becoming the head of the performance and opera department from 1968 to 1972. In 1966, the Ontario Arts Council
and the Ontario Federation of Symphony Orchestras commissioned him to report on Ontario Orchestras, which subsequently served as a blueprint for Ontario's orchestral development for the next thirty years. Schabas collaborated with the Ontario Arts Council again in 1968 to establish the University of Toronto Conductors' Workshop. In 1972, Schabas was one of the founders of Orchestras Canada and was elected its first president.
Having continued teaching at the Royal Conservatory of Music throughout his time at the National Youth Orchestra and Orchestras Canada, in 1978 Schabas was made Principal of the Conservatory, a position he held until 1983. During his time as Principal, he developed training programs for gifted children and pre-university teenagers. In 1980, he launched the Orchestral Training Program for professional musicians at the Conservatory, which received funding from Employment and Immigration Canada
to help young Canadians find work in Canadian orchestras. That same year, he founded the Association of Colleges and Conservatories of Music, serving as its first president from 1980 to 1984.
Schabas followed up his time as Principal by returning to the University of Toronto's faculty of music in 1983, only to retire the following year. In 1985, he was named professor emeritus. From 1987 to 1990, Schabas again drew upon funding from Employment and Immigration Canada, the Ontario Arts Council and the Association of Canadian Orchestras to direct "Musical Performance and Communication." This unique professional training program at the University of Toronto sought to help classical musicians find new and better ways of attracting and communicating with audiences.
until 1960 and played in a number of ensembles around Toronto, including the Toronto Woodwind Quintet from 1956 to 1960. As an educator, he has spoken at conferences in Europe, Asia, South American, Canada and the USA and was a frequent consultant and juror for the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and Canadian Heritage, among others. He has written three biographies on musicians and two on musical institutions, winning the 1995 City of Toronto Annual Book Award for Sir Ernest MacMillan: The Importance of Being Canadian. From 1996 to 1998, he also acted as president of the Toronto Arts and Letters Club.
, was presented a Golden Jubilee Medal, and made a lifetime member of the Toronto Musicians Association.
, a notable Canadian Activist and writer, and Barker Fairley
, a well-respected Canadian artist and German literature scholar. He has five children, twelve grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and counting.
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...
, 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....
. He has been active in Canada's musical life since 1952 when he emigrated from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with his wife Ann Schabas and two sons William
William Schabas
William Schabas is an author and academic in the field of international criminal and human rights law. He is a professor of international law and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and an internationally respected expert on human rights law,...
and Richard. During his time in Canada, he has been a leading musical educator and administrator in Toronto's musical institutions, has published several books on Canadian music history and has been appointed to the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
and made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
Early Life and Education
Ezra Schabas was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on April 24, 1924 to Jewish parents. He attended the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
for clarinet where he studied with clarinetist Arthur Christmann and educators Hans Letz and Rose Marie Grentzer. The interruption of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
led Schabas to leave Juilliard in 1943 with an Artist Diploma to serve with the US Army forces in France. While overseas, he attended the Nancy Conservatory before returning to New York City in 1946.
Upon his return, Schabas completed his Bachelor of Science at Juilliard in 1947 followed by a Master of Arts at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1948. For the next few years, he studied in a variety of places, including the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
in Rochester, NY, the American Conservatory
Fontainebleau Schools
The Fontainebleau Schools started in 1921 with the involvement of the United States in the First World War. At the instigation of General Pershing—who wished to improve the quality of US military band music—Walter Damrosch, then conductor of the New York Philharmonic, was asked to organize a...
at Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as well as privately in New York with David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
and in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with Gaston Hamelin. Between 1950 and 1952, he taught at the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
and Western Reserve University in Cleveland before moving to Toronto to teach clarinet at the Royal Conservatory of Music
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
, eventually becoming a Canadian citizen.
Career
After relocating to Toronto in 1952, Schabas became a director of the Royal Conservatory of MusicRoyal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
, one of Canada's most esteemed music education institutions that has trained artists including Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
, Glenn Gould
Glenn Gould
Glenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
and Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
. During his eight year tenure teaching at the Conservatory, Schabas's clarinet pupils included Brian Barley, Paul Grice, Howard Knopf, Timothy Maloney, Peter Smith, and Patricia Wait. As the director of concert and placement bureau, he helped find engagements for young artists such as Jon Vickers
Jon Vickers
Jonathan Stewart Vickers, CC , known professionally as Jon Vickers, is a retired Canadian heldentenor.Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children. In 1950, he was awarded a scholarship to study opera at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto...
and Lois Marshall
Lois Marshall
Lois Catherine Marshall, CC was a Canadian soprano.In 1967, she was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. She was a Graduate of the University of Toronto....
.
In 1960, Schabas helped to found the National Youth Orchestra
National Youth Orchestra
The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain is an orchestra of 163 young musicians from the United Kingdom. The members of the orchestra are all aged between 13 and 19 years. The players are selected by auditions which take place in the autumn each year at various locations in the country...
, a musical not for profit dedicated to discovering and nurturing talented young Canadian musicians, and acted as the Orchestra's first administrator. That same year, he was appointed to 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...
's faculty of music, becoming the head of the performance and opera department from 1968 to 1972. In 1966, the Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to promote and assist the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of all Ontarians...
and the Ontario Federation of Symphony Orchestras commissioned him to report on Ontario Orchestras, which subsequently served as a blueprint for Ontario's orchestral development for the next thirty years. Schabas collaborated with the Ontario Arts Council again in 1968 to establish the University of Toronto Conductors' Workshop. In 1972, Schabas was one of the founders of Orchestras Canada and was elected its first president.
Having continued teaching at the Royal Conservatory of Music throughout his time at the National Youth Orchestra and Orchestras Canada, in 1978 Schabas was made Principal of the Conservatory, a position he held until 1983. During his time as Principal, he developed training programs for gifted children and pre-university teenagers. In 1980, he launched the Orchestral Training Program for professional musicians at the Conservatory, which received funding from Employment and Immigration Canada
Minister of Employment and Immigration (Canada)
The Minister of Employment and Immigration was an office in the Cabinet of Canada, in operation from 1977 to 1996. On July 12, 1996, the office of the Minister of Employment and Immigration was abolished and replaced with the office of Minister of Human Resources Development...
to help young Canadians find work in Canadian orchestras. That same year, he founded the Association of Colleges and Conservatories of Music, serving as its first president from 1980 to 1984.
Schabas followed up his time as Principal by returning to the University of Toronto's faculty of music in 1983, only to retire the following year. In 1985, he was named professor emeritus. From 1987 to 1990, Schabas again drew upon funding from Employment and Immigration Canada, the Ontario Arts Council and the Association of Canadian Orchestras to direct "Musical Performance and Communication." This unique professional training program at the University of Toronto sought to help classical musicians find new and better ways of attracting and communicating with audiences.
Musician and Author
Not only a teacher and administrator, Schabas has performed and conducted in Canada, the United States and overseas. He worked as a freelance clarinetist for the CBC OrchestraCBC Symphony Orchestra
The CBC Symphony Orchestra was a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario that was operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation during the 1950s and 1960s. Founded in 1952, conductor Geoffrey Waddington served as the orchestra'a only music director; although other conductors, such as...
until 1960 and played in a number of ensembles around Toronto, including the Toronto Woodwind Quintet from 1956 to 1960. As an educator, he has spoken at conferences in Europe, Asia, South American, Canada and the USA and was a frequent consultant and juror for the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and Canadian Heritage, among others. He has written three biographies on musicians and two on musical institutions, winning the 1995 City of Toronto Annual Book Award for Sir Ernest MacMillan: The Importance of Being Canadian. From 1996 to 1998, he also acted as president of the Toronto Arts and Letters Club.
Awards
Schabas was awarded the Canada Centennial Medal in 1967, appointed to the Order of Ontario in 1996, and made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2000. In 2002 he was appointed a Fellow (Honoris Causa) of the Royal Conservatory of MusicRoyal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
, was presented a Golden Jubilee Medal, and made a lifetime member of the Toronto Musicians Association.
Family
Schabas lives in Toronto married to Ann Schabas, the former dean of the Faculty of Library and information sciences at the University of Toronto and daughter of Margaret FairleyMargaret Fairley
Margaret Adele Keeling Fairley was a Canadian writer, educator, and political activist.She was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK and died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
, a notable Canadian Activist and writer, and Barker Fairley
Barker Fairley
Barker Fairley, OC was a British-born painter, writer, and educator and a Canadian citizen. Although educated and brought up in a strong European tradition and background, his important life's scholarship in German literature and art criticism was done in Canada and was about Canadian art and...
, a well-respected Canadian artist and German literature scholar. He has five children, twelve grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and counting.
Books
- 1989: Theodore Thomas: America's Conductor and Builder of Orchestras, 1835-1905, Champaign: University of Illinois Press; ISBN 978-0252016103
- 1994: Sir Ernest MacMillan: The Importance of Being Canadian, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0802028495
- 2000: Opera Viva: The Canadian Opera Company; The First Fifty Years, co-authored with Carl Morey, Toronto: Dundurn Press, ISBN 978-1550023466
- 2005: There's Music In These Walls: A History of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto: Dundurn Press, ISBN 978-1550025408
- 2007: Jan Rubes: A Man of Many Talents, Toronto: Dundurn Press, ISBN 978-1550026856
See also
- William SchabasWilliam SchabasWilliam Schabas is an author and academic in the field of international criminal and human rights law. He is a professor of international law and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and an internationally respected expert on human rights law,...
- Margaret FairleyMargaret FairleyMargaret Adele Keeling Fairley was a Canadian writer, educator, and political activist.She was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK and died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
- Barker FairleyBarker FairleyBarker Fairley, OC was a British-born painter, writer, and educator and a Canadian citizen. Although educated and brought up in a strong European tradition and background, his important life's scholarship in German literature and art criticism was done in Canada and was about Canadian art and...
- The Royal Conservatory of Music
- Sir Ernest MacMillan
- National Youth OrchestraNational Youth OrchestraThe National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain is an orchestra of 163 young musicians from the United Kingdom. The members of the orchestra are all aged between 13 and 19 years. The players are selected by auditions which take place in the autumn each year at various locations in the country...