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He is a bassoon player who spent his early life in
Nazi occupied Holland and concentrated his time on taking music studies on
the bassoon, double bass and clarinet.
After the war he went to Calgary, Canada as a member
of the Canadian army and later settled in Edmonton. He performed with many orchestras
and bands during this period including an army band and the Calgary
Philharmonic.
He joined the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s
as a double bass player but when the chance arose he became their Principal
Bassoon. He remained with them
on a full-time basis for more than 20 years but his performances with them have
continued for at least another 20-25 years, appearing with them in a
concert in 1997 and several times since.
He was involved in several aspects of Canadian music and
working with the OCSM (Organisation of Canadian Symphony Musicians) was
instrumental in the formation of the Symphonic Services of the AFM
(American Federation of Musicians).
He became their Secretary-Manager during the later half of the 1960s,
remaining in that position until his retirement in 2000, and became adept
as a contract negotiator for members of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. He was also part of the National CBC
Agreement negotiations and later became a member of the Law Committee of
the AFM and the President of the Canadian Conference.
A wonderful negotiator he obtained high service with
low fees for members of the Edmonton Musicians Association, been the Chair
of their Music and Sound Recording Division and later their President. He has been the Chair of the
Cultural Human Resources Council and has also been on the board of the Alberta
Cultural Action Network.
During his career he also performed with the Edmonton
Wind Ensemble and was a musician on their recording Snake Fence Country.
In recognition for his services to music and the arts
he was presented with a Queen’s Jubilee Medal at the Canadian Conference of
the Arts in 2002.
In the free time he had he actually started building a
boat dubbed The Queen of Kensington by CTV in his back yard in 1974
and it wasn’t taken out and launched until 2006/7.
Edmonton Wind Ensemble recordings
Snake Fence Country (Howard Cable)
CBC Records SMCD 5165
Conductor – Harry Pinchin
Sources:
- http://www.ocsm-omosc.org/uv-en/v7_n3E.pdf
- http://www.acan.ab.ca/about/board.php
- http://www.acan.ab.ca/news/artsbulletin_december2002.php
- http://www.afm.org/locals/info/number/390/text/javascript
- http://www.lastlinkontheleft.com/e0070612queen.html
- CD
Liner Notes: Snake Fence Country
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