Ricky Hyslop was a Canadian violin

Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

ist, 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 arranger

Arranger

In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...

. He was commissioned to write works
by the Buffalo Philharmonic (the symphonic poem

Symphonic poem

A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...

s Toronto 1830 and Mizu Uni), clarinet

Clarinet

The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...

ist Avrahm Galper (Peanut Suite for solo clarinet), and guitarist Gregory Alliston (Barca for guitar and soprano). Several of his works for violin have been published by The Frederick Harris Music Co, Limited, including three graded volumes for teaching purposes between 1987-1989.

Life and career

Born in Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, Hyslop began his violin studies as a child in his native city with Allard de Ridder

Allard de Ridder

Allard de Ridder was a Canadian conductor, violist, and composer of Dutch birth. He was notably the first conductor of both the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the latter of which he founded in 1944...

 and Jean de Rimanoczy. He began his performance career as a teenager performing as a soloist on CNRV radio. Early on in his career he served as concertmaster

Concertmaster

The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...

 or as a member of various orchestras associated with the CRBC

Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission

The Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission was Canada's first public broadcaster and the immediate precursor to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.-Origins:...

 and CBC

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...

 in Vancouver.

In 1941 Hyslop became music director for CBC Vancouver's Harmony House, a program featuring the singers Pat Morgan and Suzanne and the pianist Bud Henderson. He continued in that position up through 1953, during which time he also worked as a conductor for CBC Radio

CBC Radio

CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...

 on such variety shows as Here's Juliette, String Along, and Scored by Hyslop among others. In 1959 he relocated to Toronto to become the music director for CBC Television

CBC Television

CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...

's Talent Caravan. He left that program after a short time, returning to CBC Radio where he was music director for such programs as 1967 and All That and CBC Song Market among other programs during the 1960s.

Hyslop also worked as a composer for the CBC, writing incidental music for such CBC TV drama series as The Serial, Opening of the West, Gold - the Fabulous Years, A Place for Everything, and A Gift to Last and conrtibuting music to several TV specials. He also composed music for the CTV Television Network

CTV television network

CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...

 programs The Human Journey and Being Human and composed the film score

Film score

A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...

 for the 1977 feature film Why Shoot the Teacher. He later wrote the score for the 1995 CTV News video The Russian German War.

Hysop died in Toronto in 1998 at the age of 83. In 2000 many of his original scores and papers became a part of the collection at the Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada is a national memory institution dedicated to providing the best possible account of Canadian life through acquiring, preserving and making Canada's documentary heritage accessible for use in the 21st century and beyond...

. He was married to the singer Lorraine Johnson who notably wrote the lyrics to his one-act school operetta Sedna: An Arctic Legend which was published in 1982. Their daughter, pop singer Jane Child

Jane Child

Jane Child is a Canadian dance-pop singer, producer and musician.-Career:The daughter of Ricky Hyslop, Child joined Canadian Opera Company's children's chorus in her youth....

, included Hyslop's song Monument on her 1993 album Here Not There.