Charles Peaker

Charles Peaker (born December 6, 1899 in Derby / Derbyshire , † August 11, 1978 in Toronto ) was a Canadian organist, choir director and music teacher.

Peaker came to Canada at the age of 13 and from 1919 studied in Toronto with Healey Willan , Ernest MacMillan and Ernest Seitz . Until 1926 he worked as a theater musician in Regina and Saskatoon. He then worked as a choirmaster and organist at St Paul Street United Church in St Catharines (1926-1928) and in Toronto at the Rosedale United Church (1930-1936), the Walmer Road Baptist Church (1936-1927), Deer Park United Church (1937–1944) and finally from 1944 to 1975 at St Paul's Anglican Church , where he performed passion music and requiems annually in the Easter and Advent season. He was also the conductor of the Hart House Glee Club from 1934 to 1950 and of the Coliseum Chorus from 1940 to 1942 .

As a concert organist, Peaker appeared in the USA in 1935 and on a tour of England in 1954 at Westminster Abbey . From 1930 to 1970 Peaker taught at the Royal Conservatory of Music , of which he was director from 1944 to 1945. From 1952 to 1965 he taught choral technique at the University of Toronto . In 1964 he became a university organist. His students included Fred Graham , John Hodgins , David Low , Roma Page Lynde , Stanley Osborne , Godfrey Ridout, and Charles Wilson .

In 1969, Peaker published the two-volume Organ Music of Canada collection . He was from 1941 to 1943 President (from 1974 Honorary President) of the Royal Canadian College of Organists and 1948-49 President of the Ontario Registered Music Teachers' Association . In 1974 he was honored as a Member of the Order of Canada .

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• Charles Peaker ( English, French ) In: Encyclopedia of Music in Canada . published by The Canadian Encyclopedia .
• Musical Archives at the National Library of Canada - Peaker, Charles