Presidents, Patrons and Honorees

Presidents of the College

List of Presidents 1909 - Current

1909-20	Albert Ham MusD DCL FRCO	1961-63	Henry Rosevear FCCO FTCL (hon)
1920-22	Percival J Illsley MusD FRCO	1963-65	George T Veary ARCO ARCM FRCCO (hon)
1922-23	Healey Willan MusD FRCO	1965-67	Clifford McAree MusB LRCT FCCO FRCCO (hon)
1923-25	Charles Wheeler FCCO	1967-69	H Barrie Cabena FRCO FRCCO (hon) FTCL ARCM
1925-26	Herbert A Fricker MusD FRCO	1969-71	James Chalmers ACCO FRCCO (hon)
1926-27	John W Bearder MusD FRCO	1971-72	Robert Hunter Bell MM ARCO (CHM) ARSCM FRCCO (hon)
1927-28	Ernest C MacMillan DMus FRCO	1972-74	Graham George MusD FCCO FRCCO (hon)
1928-29	William Hewlett MusB	1974-76	Walter Kemp DPhil MusM FRCCO FRCCO (hon)
1929-30	Thomas J Crawford MusB FRCO	1976-78	Gordon Atkinson MMus FRCCO (hon) FTCL ARCM
1930-31	Alfred Whitehead MusD FCCO FRCCO (hon)	1978-80	Markwell Perry MusB FRCCO (hon) ATCM
1931-32	Richard Tattersall	1980-82	Gerald Bales FRCCO (hon) ATCM
1932-33	Herbert Sanders MusD FRCO	1982-84	Margaret Drynan MusB FRCCO (hon) ARCT
1933-35	Healey Willan MusD FRCO	1984-86	Donald Mackey MusB FRCCO (hon)
1935-37	Alfred Whitehead MusD FCCO FRCCO (hon)	1986-88	John Tuttle BMus FAGO FRCO (hon) FRCCO (hon)
1937-39	George D Atkinson	1988-90	David Palmer MMus FRCCO (hon)
1939-41	Paul Ambrose	1990-92	Giles Bryant BA ARCO (CHM) DSL FRCCO (hon)
1941-43	Charles Peaker MusD FRCO FRCCO (hon)	1992-94	Norman Brown MA BPhil FRCCO (hon)
1943-45	Eric T Rollinson MusB FRCO	1994-96	Patricia Phillips Wright DMA MFA FRCCO (hon)
1945-47	Frederick Silvester FCCO	1996-98	Karen Holmes BA FRCCO ARCT
1947-49	Eric Dowling FCCO	1998-2000	Simon Irving MA FRCCO
1949-51	John J Weatherseed FRCO	2000-2002	Marnie Giesbrecht DMus LICM ARCT
1951-53	Reginald G Geen FCCO (hon)	2002-2004	Mark Toews DMA MMus ARCT
1953-55	D'Alton McLaughlin AAGO FRCCO (hon)	2004-2006	F Alan Reesor DCnL MMus FRCCO (hon)
1955-57	Gordon D Jeffery BA FRCO (hon)	2006-2008	David Cameron MMus FTCL FRCCO (CHM)
1957-59	Muriel G Stafford FRCCO (hon) LTCM	2008-2010	Valerie Hall MMus MCM
1959-61	James Hopkirk MusB ACCO	2010-2012	Gilles Leclerc MMus
2012-	Nicholas Fairbank BSc MA MMus ARCCO ARCT

Nicholas Fairbank : 51st President of the RCCO / 51e Président du CRCO

Nicholas Fairbank was born and raised on Canada's west coast and now lives and works in Victoria, BC. He divides his time between his various musical activities as organist, composer, collaborative pianist and harpsichordist, conductor, adjudicator, clinician, teacher and singer.

After early studies in Vancouver (piano with Michael Longton, Robert Cooper & Audrey Mallinson, pipe organ with Suzanne Gibson & Patrick Wedd) he pursued advanced musical training in London, England and Paris, France, studying organ with Christopher Herrick, Richard Popplewell and Naji Hakim. His composition teachers have included Stephen Chatman and John Celona. He holds Master's degrees from the Université de Paris (Musicology & French literature), the University of California at Santa Barbara (French language and pedagogy), and the University of Victoria (Composition), as well as Associateship diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Music (gold medal winner for pipe organ, 1981), and the Royal Canadian College of Organists (Willan and Barker prizes 1998).

His catalogue of compositions includes more than 75 works for organ and piano solo, voice, and for various choral and instrumental ensembles. Many of his works are published by Cypress Choral Music, the RCCO, Mayfair Montgomery, and his own company FMP, while others are available through the Canadian Music Centre of which he was appointed an Associate Composer in 2007.

Mr. Fairbank is currently Instructor of Organ and Harpsichord at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, Artistic Director of both the Viva Youth Choirs and Via Choralis Chamber Choir, and a member of the College of Examiners of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. He lives in Victoria harbour aboard his 41’ sloop Kavenga. www.fairbankmusic.ca

Patronage

Vice-Regal Patronage

Beginning with His Excellency Earl Grey in 1909, and continuing to the present day, each successive Governor General has served as Honorary Patron of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, a term later changed to Patron. The present Patron is His Excellency The Right Honourable David Johnston, CC, CMM, COM, CD, Governor General of Canada.

Honorary Patrons

The distinguished musicians Dame Gillian Weir DBE and Angela Hewitt OC, OBE presently serve as Honorary Patrons. Two eminent British musicians served as Patrons of the Canadian Guild of Organists and Canadian College of Organists, forerunners of the RCCO. Professor Sir J Frederick Bridge, CVO, MA, MusDoc, FRCO, served as Patron from 1909 until his death on March 18, 1924. Sir Walter Parratt, CVO, MA, MusDoc, served as Patron until his death nine days after Sir Frederick, on March 27, 1924.

Honorary Presidents and Honorary Vice Presidents

The following distinguished musicians were appointed to honorary positions in 2010: Honorary President Norman J P Brown; Honorary Vice Presidents H Barrie Cabena and Walter H Kemp. The first Honorary President of the College was Dr Albert Ham, founding President of the College in 1909, and Honorary President from his retirement as President in 1920 until 1935.

Honorary Presidents

Albert Ham, 1920-1935
Herbert A Fricker, 1935-1943
Sir Ernest MacMillan, 1972-1973
Alfred Whitehead, 1973-1974
Eric Dowling, 1977-1991
James Chalmers, 1992-1997
Muriel Stafford, 1998-2004
Markwell Perry, 2006-2009
Norman J P Brown 2010-

Honorary Vice Presidents

Sir Ernest MacMillan, 1949-1972
Healey Willan, 1949-1968
T.M. Sargant, 1949-1962
Alfred Whitehead, 1972-1973
Charles Peaker, 1973-1978
Gerald Bales, 1996-2002
Muriel Stafford, 1996-1997
George Veary, 1996-1998
Margaret Drynan, 1998-1999
Markwell Perry, 1998-2005
H Barrie Cabena 2010-
Walter H Kemp 2010-

Honorary Fellows of the College

FCGO (honoris causa)
Blakeley, Arthur * before 1912
Dorey, Arthur * before 1912
Vernon, Hugh Ernest J * before 1912
Thomas, Frederick C * 1912
Torrington, Frederick Herbert * before 1913
Wheeler, Charles Edward * 1913

FCCO (honoris causa)
Langlois, H Gordon * 1943
Silvester, Frederick * 1943
Barford, Vernon * 1945
Elmer, S Lewis * 1958
Geen, Reginald G * 1958
McLean, Hugh John CM 1958

FRCCO (honoris causa)
McLaughlin, D'Alton * 1959
Stafford, Muriel * 1959
Wyton, Alec * 1962
Bertalot, John 1964
Pirie, Mary 1964
Massey, Roy C 1965
McKie, Sir William * 1967
Willcocks, Sir David Valentine 1967
Bell, Robert Hunter 1973
Chalmers, James * 1973
Cabena, H Barrie 1973
Veary, George T * 1973
Heath, Sir Edward * 1973
Jeffery, Gordon D * 1973
McAree, Clifford * 1973
Peaker, Charles * 1973
Whitehead, Alfred * 1973
Bales, Gerald * 1974
Hawke, H William * 1974
Kruspe, Glenn Clarence * 1975
Ridout, Godfrey * 1975
George, Graham * 1976
White, Ernest * 1976
Kemp, Walter H 1976
Bancroft, H Hugh * 1976
Forsyth, Lilian * 1977
Thalben-Ball, Sir George * 1977
Atkinson, Gordon 1978
Kelland, Sydney * 197?
France, William Edward * 1980
Wright, N Searle * 1980
Perry, Markwell J * 1981
Cook, Melville * 1982
Milligan, Carman * 1982
Weir, Dame Gillian 1983
Drynan, Margaret * 1984
Jerome, Howard * 1985
Archer, Violet B * 1985
Farmer, Maitland * 1985
McLean, Hugh 1985
Preston, Simon 1986
Mackey, Donald * 1986
Bevan, Gwilym 1987
Rennert, Jonathan 1987
Holman, Derek CM 1987
Osborne, Stanley * 1987
Tuttle, John H 1988
Pearce, Irene * 1989
Smale, George Albert * 1989
Kloppers, Jacobus 1990
Guest, George * 1991
Palmer, David 1991
Bryant, Giles B 1993
Daveluy, Raymond 1993
Glick, Srul Irving * 1993
Brown, Norman J P 1995
Reesor, F Alan 1996
Wright, Patricia Phillips 1997
Inkster, Kenneth 2000
Henderson, Ruth Watson 2003
Chase, Thomas J 2004
Vandertuin, John William 2004
Macdonnell, Frances B 2005
Sadler, Ian 2007
Bouchard, Antoine 2009
Gilbert, Kenneth 2009
Riddell, Wayne 2009
Swan, Lorne 2009
Haas, Douglas 2011
Grew, John 2011
* deceased

RCCO Honorary Awards

     Nominations may be submitted to National Council for any Honorary Award by any Member or Centre of the College. Nominations, accompanied by a supporting letter, should be submitted to the Chair of the appropriate Committee by February 1st of any year or such other date as Council may determine. The Committee shall, through its Chair, submit its recommendations to the President for approval by National Council. The President may, if concerned about the appropriateness of any nomination, request the Committee to reconsider its recommendation. The Committee's final recommendation shall then be sent to Council, after whose approval the President shall communicate with approved nominees, inviting acceptance of the award. No nominee shall be informed about a contemplated or actual nomination until the official communication is issued by the President. (Regulation III.5)
      Address correspondence to Alan Reesor, Chair of the Standing Committee for Honorary Awards, RCCO, 202-204 St George St, Toronto ON M5R 2N5.
FRCCO (honoris causa)
      National Council may award the Diploma of Fellowship (honoris causa). This may be awarded to those who: (i) have achieved national or international eminence in the field of music; or (ii) have rendered outstanding service to the College. Each recipient of this honour shall receive a Diploma and Hood from the College and be entitled to use the designation ‘FRCCO (hon. causa)’. (from RCCO Regulation III.2)
Distinguished Service Award
       National Council may award the Distinguished Service Award to those who have given exemplary service to a Centre.The award should reflect the sort of service which leaves a particular mark on the Centre's history and which, for its vision and breadth, provides a model worth promulgating to Centres nationwide. (from RCCO Regulation III.4)
Honorary Life Membership
      Honorary Life Membership may be conferred by the National Council upon any Member who has made an outstanding contribution to the work and objectives of the College at the National level over a period of years, or upon any person who, not being a member of the College, has rendered the College significant and unusual service. Such Honorary Members shall not be required to join any Centre, though they may do so; all fee requirements shall be withdrawn. (RCCO By-Law IV.5.b)
Patron, Honorary President, Honorary Vice President
      National Council, upon recommendation of the President, may confer the title of Honorary Patron, Honorary President, or Honorary Vice President on those whom it deems worthy of the honour. (RCCO Regulation III.1)
Centre Life Members
      A local Centre may confer Life Membership on a member of that Centre who has given faithful service to the Centre for many years. The Centre fee shall be withdrawn and the National fee shall be paid by the Centre. (RCCO By-Law IV 5.c)

Distinguished Service Award

Norman Brown 2001
Ross Jewell 2001
Muriel Gidley Stafford 2001
Nancy Fraser 2002
Karen Holmes 2002
William Wright 2003
Simon Irving 2004
Karl J Raudsepp 2004
Doreen Porter 2005
H Alex Clark 2005
Kenneth Davis 2005
Dianne Ferguson 2007
Alan T Jackson 2007
Thomas Fitches 2008
David Rosevear 2008
David Huddleson 2009
Mark Toews 2010
Scott Bradford 2011
Eric Dewdney 2011

Judith Boutin 2012

Joanne Hart 2012

Stephen Miller 2012

Honorary Life Membership

Albert Ham 1925
Tom M Sargant 1943
Mary Pirie 1959
Eric Rollinson 1959
Sir Ernest MacMillan before 1960
Healey Willan before 1960
Raymond Barnes 1975
Leonard Foss 1976
Thomas C Chattoe 1977
Sydney Kelland 1977
Henry Rosevear 1977
Leonard Grigg 1979
Sir William McKie 1970s
Gerald Bales 1982
Bob Kerr 1993
Kenneth W Davis 1995
Trevor John Hillier 1995
Barrie Cabena 2003
Paul Chappel 2005
Walter H Kemp 2006
Paul B Murray 2006

Hon RCCO

The Hon RCCO was awarded for service to the College primarily in a non-professional capacity. It was abolished in 1992.
Margaret Drynan 1976
Florence Durell Clark 1976