John Ronan (composer)

John Edward Ronan (born October 28, 1894 in Colgan , Ontario , † October 15, 1962 in Toronto ) was a Canadian composer, choir director and music teacher.

Ronan attended Hamilton Teachers College from the age of sixteen and later St Michael's College in Toronto, where he took private composition lessons with Healey Willan . In 1916 he began his training at St Augustine's Seminary in Scarborough, and after his ordination in 1922 he studied Gregorian chant with André Mocquereau at the Pius X School in New York and later in the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes .

Upon his return to Toronto, he became Archdiocesan Church Music Director. He taught Gregorian chant at St. Augustine's Seminary until 1956 and founded the Boys Sanctuary Choir at St. Michael's Cathedral in 1926 . During his studies at the Pontifical Institute for Church Music in Rome from 1932–35, he also took lessons in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and Louis Vierne . In 1937 he founded the St Michael's Cathedral Choir School , which he directed until his death. In recognition of his services, he was awarded the papal honorary title Monsignor in 1947 , and in 1962 he was appointed Apostolic Protonotary .

Ronan composed mostly liturgical pieces such as anthems, introiti, graduals and offertories as well as a karmette, and he also wrote arrangements of Irish folk songs. His students included John Arab and Bernard Turgeon and the members of the Four Lads and Crew-Cuts .

source

• John Ronan ( English, French ) In: Encyclopedia of Music in Canada . published by The Canadian Encyclopedia .