Gordon Scott Memorial Concert Series

The first  Memorial Concert given for Gordon Scott was in  January 22, 1989 .  Barbara Collier (soprano) and Paul Coates  (piano) provided the music.  Other Memorial Concerts for Gordon are as follows             

 Note: A  group of admirers have made a submission to the City to honour Gordon Scott with a Bronze Star.

January 22, 1989 Memorial Concert

Gordon Scott: The pamphlet reads:

Guelph, Ontario was the setting for Gordon Scott's early musical training, and at the age of thirteen, he was awarded the silver medal for the highest standing in the Intermediate Piano Examinations of the Toronto Conservatory of Music.

Mr. Scott served as organist and choirmaster in Hespeler and Guelph churches and in 1942 accepted a similar post at St. John's United Church in Stratford. He became widely known as a teacher of piano and voice and as a choral conductor. His students went on to distinguish themselves in various fields and some to receive international recognition.

His choral groups appeared on several occasions in the Stratford Shakespearean Festival productions, including an appearance with Duke Ellington's orchestra in the theatre, and his Elizabethan Singers were heard many times on C.B.C. He was founding director of The Stratford Boychoir which received considerable acclaim since its formation in 1972.

Gordon appeared as tenor soloist with the London and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestras. He held the Associate Diplomas of the Toronto Conservatory of Music and the Canadian College of Organists and was a member of the Examining Board of the Western Conservatory of Music.

See John Street for a full story of Gordon's amazing choirs.

 *  Click to hear the Stratford's Boys Choir

Barbara Collier  and Paul Coates

Barbara Collier The pamphlet reads:

Barbara Collier was a student of Gordon Scott.  She is well known to Stratford residents, studied in London with Rodolfo Mele. She remained in Europe for several years, receiving excellent reviews for her performances. She has performed with the Canadian Opera Company and has toured successfully in Canada and the U.S.

Miss Collier performs regularly with tenor Glyn Evans and has recorded the songs of Zoltan Kodaly. She has appeared on film, television, and several radio stations including C.B.C. and Radio Budapest.

Barbara is in demand as a music festival adjudicator and with her versatility, musicality and interpretive finesse, she is at home with the great composers from Bach to Bartok.

See Murray Hill Road for more on Barbara's career.

*    Listen to three of Barbara's songs  below.

               The  Silver Swan

                   The Sally Gardens

                              The Singer

Paul Coates

Paul Coates holds ARCT diplomas in both piano and voice as well as a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the University of Western Ontario.  Since his graduation he has had an active and varied performing career as both singer and accompanist, including solo concerts, chamber music, appearances with orchestras, CBC and TV Ontario broadcasts

Paul has been a faculty member of the School of Music of Windsor and the Royal Conservatory of Music where he taught in both the Community School and the Glenn Gould Professional School. Currently he maintains a private studio in Stratford.  

Paul Coates was music director at St. John's Church on two occasions. The first time was 1988 to 1990, and the second time was 2006 to 2011. 

A former student of Paul's remembers: "Paul Coates worked wonders to make stuff happen during his two years at St. John's. He had the idea of selling keys to the new piano at $200 each to cover the cost of a new Yamaha grand piano in memory of Gordon. All 88 keys were sold within a couple of weeks, and the piano was totally paid for when it arrived. "

April 3o, 1989 Concert

Catherine Robertson

In the April 30, 1989  Memorial Concert,  Catherine Robertson performed a recital on the new Yamaha grand piano which had been dedicated in memory of Gordon. 

*    Special thanks to Robert McKenzie for the pamphlet, pictures and music files.