Sergiu Celibidache (Romanian: [ˈserdʒju tʃelibiˈdake]; 11 July [O.S. 28 June] 1912, Roman, Romania  – 14 August 1996, La Neuville-sur-Essonne, France) was a Romanian conductor, composer, musical theorist, and teacher. Educated in his native Romania, and later in Paris and Berlin, Celibidache's career in music spanned over five decades, including tenures as principal conductor for the Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Sicilian Symphony Orchestra and several European orchestras. Later in life, he taught at Mainz University in Germany and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Celibidache frequently refused to release his performances on commercial recordings during his lifetime, claiming that a listener could not obtain a "transcendental experience" outside the concert hall. Many of the recordings of his performances were released posthumously. He has nonetheless earned international acclaim for celebrated interpretations of the classical music repertoire and was known for a spirited performance style informed by his study and experiences in Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century.[1][2] Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life and education 1.2 Career 1.3 Personal life 1.4 Death 2 Legacy 2.1 Performance style and criticism 3 Discography 4 Honours and awards 5 References 6 External links Biography[edit] Early life and education[edit] Celibidache as conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1946 Sergiu Celibidache was born on 28 June 1912[note 1] in Roman, a small city in the Moldavia region of Romania, where his father was a government official.[3][4] He grew up in Iași, where his family soon moved after his birthday.[5] He was already improvising at the piano by the age of four, and after a traditional schooling in mathematics, philosophy and music in Iași, he was sent by his father to Bucharest and then to Paris where he continued his studies. His father had expected him to pursue a political career in Romania.[3][5] However, Celibidache chose to enroll in the Hochschule für Musik(Academy of Music) in Berlin, Germany in 1936 where he studied composition under Heinz Tiessen and later conducting under Kurt Thomas, Walter Gmeindl and Fritz Stein.[3][4] He continued with doctoral studies at the Friedrich Wilhelm University (Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität) in Berlin where he studied philosophy with Nicolai Hartmann and Eduard Spranger and musicology with Arnold Schering and Georg Schünemann.[3] He submitted a dissertation on Franco-Flemishcomposer Josquin des Prez (c. 1450–1521) and his work during the Renaissance. He received his degree in 1944.[3][4]During his studies in Berlin, Celibidache was introduced to Zen Buddhism through the influence of his teacher, Martin Steinke, and the tenets of Buddhism informed Celibidache's worldview and work for the rest of his life.[4] In a 1986 interview Celibidache said "I was born a Christian Orthodox, and studied philosophy, but I still couldn't find solutions to my problems. It was through Steinke that I found [...] the way of Zen. All I can say is that without Zen I couldn't have known this strange principle that the beginning is the end. Music in nothing but the materialization of this principle."[6] Career[edit] Celibidache giving a conducting lesson at the Curtis Institute in 1984 to student David Bernard Sergiu Celibidache studied in Berlin and, from 1945 to 1952, he was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, Europe's most celebrated orchestra. He got his big break immediately after the war in tragic circumstances, as Leo Borchard, who had received clearance from the Americans to perform, was shot during a nocturnal car ride and no other "acceptable" (de-Nazified) conductors were available, so the job fell to Celibidache.[7][6] However, he fought selflessly to have Furtwangler (who was a great influence on the young conductor) reinstated as orchestra leader, and from 1947 until 1952 the two shared the responsibilities of conducting the Berlin Philharmonic.[7] Celibidache later worked with radio orchestras in Stockholm, Stuttgart and Paris. He also worked in Britain in the late 1940s and 1950s, due partly to the promotional efforts of the pianist Eileen Joyce and her partner, an artists' agent. Joyce said that Celibidache was the greatest conductor she had ever worked with – "he was the only one who got inside my soul".[8] In 1970 he was awarded Denmark's Sonning Award. From 1979 until his death he was music director of the Munich Philharmonic. He regularly taught at Hochschule für Musik Mainz in Germany and in 1984 taught at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Teaching was a major focus throughout his life and his courses were frequently open to all without fee. Among his notable students are Françoys Bernier, Jordi Mora, Peter Perret, Bernhard Sieberer, Markand Thakar, Konrad von Abel,[9] Nils-Göran Areskoug and Tom Zelle as well as The Danish Windquintet.[citation needed] He appeared in the film Ambassadors of Music (1952) where he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in a complete performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Egmontoverture. His later career was marred by controversy and accusations of sexism and discrimination that came to light during a 12-year legal battle during his tenure at the Munich Philharmonic[10] due to an ongoing issue with trombonist Abbie Conant. Personal life[edit] In 1965, Celibidache married Ioana Procopie Dimitrescu. They had one son, Sergiu Ioan Celibidache ("Serge"), born 19 June 1968.[note 2] Death[edit] Celibidache died at the age of 84 on 14 August 1996 at La Neuville-sur-Essonne, near Paris. He was buried in the Cimetière de Neuville sur Essone. Legacy[edit] Bust of Sergiu Celibidache at his hometown in Roman Performance style and criticism[edit] Celibidache's approach to music-making is often described more by what he did not do instead of what he did. For example, much has been made of Celibidache's "refusal" to make recordings even though almost all of his concert activity actually was recorded with many released posthumously by major labels such as EMI and Deutsche Grammophon with the consent of his family.[11]Nevertheless, Celibidache paid little attention to making these recordings, which he viewed merely as by-products of his orchestral concerts. Celibidache's focus was instead on creating, during each concert, the optimal conditions for what he called a "transcendent experience". Aspects of Zen Buddhism, such as ichi-go ichi-e, strongly influenced his thinking. He believed that transcendental experiences were extremely unlikely to ensue when listening to recorded music, so he eschewed them. As a result, some of his concerts did provide audiences with exceptional and sometimes life-altering experiences, including, for example, a 1984 concert in Carnegie Hall by the Orchestra of the Curtis Institute that New York Times critic John Rockwell touted as the best of his 25 years of concert-going.[12] Celibidache was well known for his demands for extensive rehearsal time with orchestras.[13] An oft-mentioned feature of many of his concerts, captured in the live recordings of them, is a slower tempo than what is considered the norm, while, in fast passages, his tempi often exceeded expectations.[14] In Celibidache's own view, however, criticism of a recording's tempo is irrelevant, as it is not (and cannot be) a critique of the performance but rather of a transcription of it, without the ambience of the moment, for him, a key factor in any musical performance. As Celibidache explained, the acoustic space in which one hears a concert directly affects the likelihood of the emergence of his sought-after transcendent experience. The acoustic space within which one hears a recording of one of his performances, on the other hand, has no impact on the performance, as it is impossible for the acoustic features of that space to stimulate musicians to play slower or faster. That his recorded performances differ so widely from the majority of other recordings has led them to be seen by some as collectors' items rather than mainstream releases, 'one-offs' rather than reference recordings.[15] Discography[edit] Notable releases have been his Munich performances of Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Robert Schumann, Johann Sebastian Bach, Gabriel Fauré and a series of live performances with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. 1948: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 LPO (Decca AK 2036-41 78 rpm) 1949: Mozart: Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183 (Decca AK 2197-9 78 rpm)  ?: Prokofiev: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Prokofiev Symphony in D major, Op. 25 “Classical” (HMV C 3729-30) 78 rpm 1951: Mozart: Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183 (Decca LXT 2558) 1951: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 LPO (Decca LXT 2545) 1969: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 LPO (Decca Eclipse ECM 833) 1985: Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (Electrecord) 1988: Mendelssohn: Sinfonia N. 4 "Italian"; Dvořák: Sinfonia N. 9 Dal Nuovo Mondo (Frequenz) n.d.: Beethoven: Concerto No. 5 for Piano and Orchestra "Emperor" (Electrecord) 1990: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5; Nutcracker Suite (London) 1991: Mozart: Requiem; Vivaldi: Stabat Mater (Arkadia) 1991: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”; Roméo et Juliette (Arkadia) 1994: Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (Andromeda) 1994: Brahms: Symphony Nos. 3 & 4 (Fonit-Cetra Italia) 1994: Brahms: Symphony No. 2 & Haydn Variations, Op. 56a (Fonit-Cetra Italia) 1994: Mozart: Grand Mass, K. 427 (Cetra) 1995: Beethoven: Symphony Nos. 2 & 4 (Nas) 1997: Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Beethoven: Symphony Nos. 4 & 5 (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Debussy: La Mer; Iberia (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Haydn: Symphony Nos 103 & 104 (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Mozart: Symphony No. 40; Haydn: “Oxford Symphony” (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Ravel: Ma Mère l'Oye; Bolero, Le tombeau de Couperin; Alborada del Gracioso (Fonit-Cetra Italia) 1997: S. Celibidache Conducts Beethoven & Brahms (Tahra) 1997: Schubert: Symphony No. 9 (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Schumann: Symphonies 3 & 4 (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy–Overture; Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 (EMI Music Distribution) 1997: The Young Celibidache, Vol. II (Tahra) 1997: Wagner: Orchestral Music (EMI Music Distribution) 1998: Bruckner 3 (EMI Music Distribution) 1998: Bruckner 4 (EMI Music Distribution) 1998: Bruckner 6 (EMI Classics) 1998: Bruckner 7; Te Deum (EMI Music Distribution) 1998: Bruckner 8 (EMI Classics) 1998: Bruckner 9 in Concert and Rehearsal (EMI Classics) 1998: Bruckner: Mass in F minor (EMI Music Distribution) 1998: Bruckner: Symphonies No. 3-9; Mass in F minor, Te Deum (EMI Classics) 1998: Shostakovich: Symphonie No. 7 (Magic Talent) 1999: Sergiu Celebidache (Box) (No Noise) 1999: Beethoven: Symphonies No. 2 & 4 (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Beethoven: Symphony No. 6; Leonore (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3, 4 (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Ein deutsches Requiem (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Celibidache Conducts Beethoven 7 & 8 (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 Op. 17 "Piccola Russia"; Dvořák: Concerto Op. 104 (Urania) 1999: Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem (Audiophile Classics) 1999: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Stravinsky: The Fairy's Kiss Suite (Deutsche Grammophon) 1999: Prokofiev: Scythian Suite; Symphony No. 5 (Deutsche Grammophon) 1999: Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade; Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite (Version 1923) (Deutsche Grammophon) 1999: Schumann: Symphony No. 2; Brahms: Haydn Variations (EMI Music Distribution) 1999: Strauss: Don Juan; Tod und Verklärung; Respighi: Pini di Roma (Rehearsals) (Deutsche Grammophon) 1999: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2; Brahms: Symphony No. 4 (Arkadia) 2000: Brahms: Symphony No. 2; Mozart: Symphony No. 25 (Urania) 2000: Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3–5 (Box Set) (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 (Rehearsal) (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Bruckner: Symphony No. 5; Mozart: Symphony No. 35 (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Franck: Symphony in D; Hindemith: Mathis der Mahler (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Richard Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel; Don Juan; Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 (Deutsche Grammophon) 2000: Schubert: Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished"; Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite (Aura Classics) 2000: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 (Deutsche Grammophon) 2001: Sergiu Celibidache (Classica d'Oro) 2001: Sergiu Celibidache et la Philharmonie de Berlin (Tahra) 2001: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" (Classica d'Oro) 2002: Prokofiev: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5; Violin Concerto No. 1 (Classica d'Oro) 2003: Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 "Italian"; Bizet: Symphony in C (Archipel) 2004: Bach: Mass in B minor (EMI Classics) 2004: Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3–5, 7–9 [Box Set] (Deutsche Grammophon) 2004: Celibidache Conducts Milhaud & Roussel (EMI Music Distribution) 2004: Celibidache Plays Mozart's Requiem (EMI Classics) 2004: Fauré: Requiem; Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms [Live] (EMI Music Distribution) 2004: Overtures by Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Smetana & Strauss (EMI Music Distribution) 2004: Prokofiev: Symphonies 1 & 5 (EMI Music Distribution) 2004: Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (EMI Music Distribution) 2004: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 'Leningrad' (Pickwick) 2006: Celibidache: Der Taschengarten (Universal Classics & Jazz) 2006: Celibidache: The Complete EMI Edition [Limited Edition] [Box Set] (EMI Classics) 2006: Sergiu Celibidache: Lesen & Hören [CD+Book] 2007: Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"; Overture Leonre III (Archipel) 2007: Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 2007: Schumann: Symphony No. 4; Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition 2008: Sergiu Celibedache Conducts Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester (Orfeo) n.d.: Anton Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8; Brahms: Haydn Variations, Op. 56 (Exclusive) n.d.: Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E major (As Disc) n.d.: Antonín Dvořák: Symphony N. 7; Johann Strauss Jr.: Die Fledermaus Overture (Artists) n.d.: Bach: Mass in B minor (Exclusive) n.d.: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (Artists) n.d.: Beethoven: Symphony No. 7; Bach: Brandenburg Coincerto No. 3; Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin (Archipel) n.d.: Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14; Roméo et Juliette (Arkadia) n.d.: Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem (Myto Records) n.d.: Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1–4 [Box Set] (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2–4; Variations on a theme from Haydn (Acum) n.d.: Brahms: Symphony No. 1 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Brahms: Symphony No. 1 (Acum) n.d.: Brahms: Symphony No. 4 (Rehearsal) (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Brahms: Symphony Nos. 2 & 3 (Legend) n.d.: Brahms: The Complete Symphonies; Haydn Variations; Alto Rhapsody (Living Stage) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphonies 4 & 9 (Exclusive) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphonies 7 & 8 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphonies 7–9 [Box Set] (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphony 7 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphony 9 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (Exclusive) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (Arkadia) n.d.: Bruckner: Symphony No8, WAB108; Schubert: Symphony in Bf No5, D485 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Debussy & Ravel (Box Set) (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Debussy / Respighi / Milhaud (Originals) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Mussorgsky, Stravinsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev (Box Set) (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Ravel & Stravinsky (Originals) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Tchaikovsky (Grammofono 2000) n.d.: Celibidache Festival (Originals) n.d.: Celibidache [Box Set] (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Debussy (FED) n.d.: Celibidache, Vol. 1: Symphonies (EMI Classics) n.d.: Celibidache, Vol. 3: French & Russian Music (EMI Classics) n.d.: Celibidache, Vol. 4: Sacred Music & Opera (EMI Classics) n.d.: Celibidache Conducts Stravinsky (Arlecchino) n.d.: Debussy: Ibéria; Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; Alborada del gracioso (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Debussy: La Mer (Rehearsal) (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Debussy: La Mer; La Damoiselle élue; Milhaud: Saudades do Brazil (Fonit-Cetra Italia) n.d.: Debussy: Nocturnes; La Mer (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Dvořák: Concerto in B minor / Eight Slavonic Dances (Arkadia) n.d.: Dvořák: Violin Concerto; Symphony 9 (Concerto) n.d.: Franck: Symphonie en Ré mineur; Wagner: Siegfried-Idyll; Tristan und Isolde prelude (Arkadia) n.d.: Great Conductors of the 20th Century, Vol. 39: Sergiu Celibidache (EMI Music Distribution) n.d.: Haydn: Symphony No. 104 "London"; Debussy: Jeux; Igor Stravinsky: Jeux de Cartes (Urania) n.d.: Haydn: Symphony No. 103; Mozart: Symphony No. 38 (Originals) n.d.: Legendary Performers Vol. 2 (As Disc) n.d.: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Strauss: Don Juan (Artist) n.d.: Mozart: Great Mass in C minor, K. 427; Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, K. 365; Haffner Serenade, K. 250 (Acum) n.d.: Mozart: Great Mass in C minor, K. 427; Haffner Serenade, K. 250 (Fonit-Cetra Italia) n.d.: Mozart: Requiem (Il Sabato) n.d.: Mozart: Requiem (Artists) n.d.: Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41; Schubert: Symphony No. 5; Schumann: Symphony No. 2 (Living Stage) n.d.: Mozart: Symphony No. 41; Schubert: Symphony No. 5 (Memories) n.d.: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Cherubini: Symphony in D major; Bäck: Intrada for Orchestra (Originals) n.d.: Prokofiev: Romeo et Juliet (Extracts) (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Prokofiev: Romeo E Giulietta/Berlioz: Romeo E Giulietta/Tchaikovsky: Romeo E Giulietta (Fonit-Cetra Italia) n.d.: Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5; Prokofiev, Berlioz, Tchaikovsky: Romeo et Juliet (Acum) n.d.: RTSI Orchestra Conducted by Sergiu Celibidache: Schubert, Tchaikovsky n.d.: Ravel: La Valse; Daphnis et Chloé; Suite No. 2; Le Tombeau de Couperin (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklärung; Vier letzte Lieder; Igor Stravinsky: L'oiseau de feu; Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé (Acum) n.d.: Rimsky-Korsakov: Schéhérazade (Originals) n.d.: Schubert/Schumann: Symphonies (Fonit-Cetra Italia) n.d.: Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8; Schumann: Symphonies No. 1 "Primavera" & 2 (Acum) n.d.: Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9; Franck: Symphony in D minor; Mussorgsky-Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition (Urania) n.d.: Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54; Richard Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder (Artists Live Recording) n.d.: Schumann: Symphony Nos. 1 & 2 (Cetra) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Alla Rai, Vol. 5 (Fonit-Cetra Italia) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts (Artists) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts (EMI Classics) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts (Enterprise) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts (Urania) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 (FED) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (IDIS) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts Mendelssohn, Haydn, Beethoven (IDIS) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache Conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker (Myto Records) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache alla RAI, Vol. 1: Johannes Brahms – Sinfonie 1–4, Variazione su un tema di Haydn (Fonit-Cetra Italia) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache conducts Blacher, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Cherubini, Schwarz-Schilling (Tahra) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache conducts Franck, Tchaikovsky (IDIS) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache conducts Schubert & Schumann (IDIS) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache, Vol. 1 (Arlecchino) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache: From the collection of Deutsches Rundfunkarchiv (Music & Arts) n.d.: Sergiu Celibidache: Magier des Klangs (Documents) n.d.: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" (Grammofono 2000) n.d.: Shostakovich: Symphony No 5, Op. 47; Symphony No. 9, Op. 70 (Arkadia) n.d.: Shostokovich: Symphonies 1 & 9; Barber: Adagio for Strings (EMI Classics) n.d.: Strauss: Don Juan; Tod und Verklärung; Respighi: Pini di Roma (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: Stravinsky: L'Oiseau de feu; Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; La Valse; Pavane pour une infante défunte (Cetra) n.d.: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; Nutcracker Suite (Angel Records / EMI Classics) n.d.: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6; Monteverdi: Vespers of 1610 – Ave Maris Stella (Archipel) n.d.: The Art of Sergiu Celibidache, Volume 1–7 (Arlecchino) n.d.: The Complete RIAS Recordings (Audite) n.d.: The Stuttgart Recordings, Vol. 3 (Deutsche Grammophon) n.d.: The Unpublished Celibidache in Naples (Originals) n.d.: Verdi: Requiem (EMI Classics) n.d.: Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, WWV90; Siegfried Idyll, WWV103 (Arkadia) Honours and awards[edit] 1970: Léonie Sonning Music Prize (Denmark) 1992: Honorary Citizen of the City of Munich (Ehrenbürgerrecht von München)[16] 1992: Grand Officers Cross with star, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern, Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland) 1992: Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy 1992: Doctor honoris causa, Iași Academy of Art and University of Iași 1993: Member of the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art (Bayerische Maximiliansorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst) (Germany) Bavarian Order of Merit (Bayerischer Verdienstorden) Honorary Citizen (Cetățean de Onoare) of Iași, Romania ***  Medien Sergiu Celibidache – das Wesen der Musik Teilen Startseite Teilen Kommentare Mehr dpa Sergiu Celibidache bei Proben mit den Münchner Philharmonikern (Archivfoto vom 10.01.1996). Dienstag, 26.06.2012, 13:21 Es soll ja Leute geben, die sich nicht für Fußball interessieren – und wenn die zurzeit fernsehen wollen, haben sie es schwer: Wiederholungen über Wiederholungen sowie Zweitklassiges präsentieren die Sender wenig überzeugend als Gegenprogramm zu den EM-Spielen. In diesen Sporttagen schlägt die Stunde kleiner feiner Anstalten wie Arte, die immer wieder interessante, wenn auch recht spezielle Dokumentationen aus dem Hut zaubern. An diesem Mittwoch, parallel zur zweiten Halbzeit des EM-Halbfinales Portugal – Spanien, zeigt der deutsch-französische Kultursender den Film „Sergiu Celibidache – das Wesen der Musik“ (21.45 Uhr). Der rumänisch-stämmige Dirigent, der als Wahl-Deutscher auch einen deutschen Pass hatte, gehörte zu den größten Dirigenten des 20. Jahrhunderts. Er starb 1996 im Alter von 84 Jahren; am Donnerstag wäre sein 100. Geburtstag. Obwohl Berlin Celibidaches ursprüngliche musikalische Heimat und Ausbildungsstätte war, überwarf er sich mit den Philharmonikern in der Hauptstadt – nicht zuletzt, weil Herbert von Karajan und nicht er ordentlicher Chefdirigent wurde – und wurde nach Gastspielen in zahlreichen Ländern Chef in Stuttgart und München. Bei den Münchner Philharmonikern hatte er den Posten des Generalmusikdirektors von 1979 bis zu seinem Tod inne. Doch das sind nur die groben Randdaten des Lebens eines Menschen, der ein begnadeter Musiker mit vielen, auch widersprüchlichen Facetten war, wie die Dokumentation des Filmemachers Norbert Busè zeigt. „Impulsiv und intellektuell, überschäumend und akribisch, gnadenlos und gütig“, so beschreibt Arte den Maestro im Pressetext. So begibt sich Busè auf die Spurensuche nach dem Wesen Celibidaches. Er filmt in Rumänien, Deutschland und Frankreich und trifft dessen Schwester und dessen Sohn Serge, der selbst ein Filmporträt über den Vater geschaffen hat, das in Ausschnitten in dieser Doku als Fernsehpremiere gezeigt wird. Außerdem lässt Busè Weggefährten von Celibidache zu Wort kommen, darunter Daniel Barenboim. „Es ist das Porträt eines Dirigenten, der wie kaum ein anderer Analyse und Leidenschaft, Rücksichtslosigkeit und Anteilnahme vereinte – ein Maestro furioso“, bewirbt Arte die Dokumentation. Zumindest wird in dem 55-minütigen Film deutlich, dass Celibidache ein außergewöhnlicher Musiker und Mensch war, ein positiv besessener, der stets nach der Vervollkommnung seiner Kunst strebte.  ***   SERGIU CELIBIDACHE Sergiu Celibidache grew up in the capital of Moldavia, Iassy, where his father held an official position. He was already improvising at the piano by the age of four and after a traditional schooling he studied music, philosophy and mathematics in Bucharest and Paris. His father wished him to pursue a political career in Romania, but instead Celibidache left for Berlin in 1936, motivated to study composition at the Berlin Academy of Music with Heinz Thiessen by having heard a quartet of his on Romanian radio. Two years later he enrolled to study conducting with Kurt Thomas and Walter Gmeindl, while simultaneously attending the Friedrich Wilhelm University to study musicology with Arnold Schering and Georg Schünemann, and philosophy with Nicolai Hartmann and Eduard Spranger. During this period he became increasingly attracted to Buddism and Zen Buddism: through his teacher Martin Steinke he was exposed to Buddhist ideas as to the limits of thought, including what was translatable into music and what was not. Celibidache completed his education in 1944 with a doctorate on Josquin Desprez. During this period he was also active as a conductor of student ensembles, attended Furtwängler’s rehearsals with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and composed: his works included concertos, masses and four symphonies, all of which remained unheard. With the end of World War II, Celibidache won a conducting competition and began to conduct professionally with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, based in the Russian sector of occupied Berlin. He went on to make his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in August 1945 as a result of several related coincidences: the orchestra’s war-time conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler was awaiting de-Nazification procedures in Switzerland; the orchestra’s first post-war conductor, Leo Borchard, had been accidentally killed by an American sentry; and no other well-known conductors were either available or acceptable to the four powers occupying Berlin. In February 1946 he was appointed as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Furtwängler returned to the orchestra in 1947 and henceforth shared the direction of the orchestra with Celibidache up until his death in 1954. By this time Celibidache had led the orchestra in four hundred and fourteen concerts, presenting many new works by composers such as Blacher, Tiessen, Hindemith and Wellesz. With the selection of Herbert von Karajan as the new chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, Celibidache left Berlin, conducting the orchestra only once again, in 1992. Celibidache had made his London debut in 1948, followed by some recording sessions for Decca, and after his departure from Berlin he began a nomadic period, conducting in Italy in particular. He worked with the orchestras of La Scala, Milan and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, as well as with the radio orchestras of Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin amongst others. His extreme demands for extensive rehearsal time made radio conducting more feasible than with normal concert-giving symphony orchestras. From 1959 he began to work with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, and from 1960 he held master-classes in conducting at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena that soon achieved legendary status. Between 1960 and 1963 Celibidache worked intensively with the Royal Danish Orchestra, and from 1962 until 1971 he was chief conductor of the Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra, which he completely rebuilt. This was followed by a period as chief conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1972 to 1977, and two seasons as the chief conductor of the Orchestre National de Radio France, from 1973 to 1975, which remain a potent memory for many in France. In 1979 he accepted the post of chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, which he made into one of the best orchestras in the world. In Munich he held master-classes in orchestral conducting, continuing to conduct and to teach, including the subject of phenomenology at the University of Mainz (1978–1992), right up until his death. Sergiu Celibidache was a follower of the religious mystic Sai Baba, and he belonged to a school of thought which denied that the spoken or written word or reasoning may make reality accessible. He believed that when conducting it was necessary to let the complexity of sounds from a passage develop and be heard in a concert hall (an occurrence known as ‘epiphenomena’). He went on to maintain that the ‘epiphenomena’, which added to the total experience of a ‘live’ performance in a concert hall, could never be captured on record. Hence, the particular magic and uniqueness of a ‘live’ performance would be lost in a recording, the artificiality of which he went so far as likening to going to bed with a photograph of Brigitte Bardot! Fortunately his preference for working with radio orchestras, because of the extensive rehearsal time permitted, also resulted in many of his performances being committed to tape in Italy, Sweden and Germany in particular. During his lifetime many of these recordings were circulated in unofficial editions. Since his death numerous radio recordings have been authorised for commercial release by his family, to ensure the highest possible standards of reproduction. Several video recordings of Celibidache conducting, especially with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, have also been released. Strangely Celibidache did not object to these in the way that he did to sound recordings. Whatever their provenance, recordings of Celibidache conducting demonstrate a complete master at work. His pursuit of the idea of ‘epiphenomena’ suggested that the richer the music, the slower the tempo required; and especially in his later years his generous tempi helped to broaden the vision of the works that he performed. With the music of certain composers this approach was extremely successful: Celibidache’s interpretations of Bruckner for instance possessed a transcendental quality that was very powerful. Performances of Brahms, although very different, were equally as successful. His mastery of orchestral balance, intonation and dynamics, when combined with his deliberate tempi, gave his readings of French music, and of composers such as Ravel and Debussy in particular, a refinement that was exceptional. By contrast his interpretations of Russian music such as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet possessed an unusual weight and grandeur. Celibidache may have been described as one of the last of the ‘mad genius’ conductors (David Hurwitz), but in truth little that he conducted was without the greatest musical interest. ***Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, CC OQ (July 25, 1930 – June 16, 2010) was a Canadian operatic contralto. Contents 1 Life and career 2 Death 3 Honours 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Life and career[edit] Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in Montreal, Quebec, one of four children of Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetmaker, and his Irish-born wife, the former May Arnold. She sang in church and radio choirs. At age 13, she dropped out of school to help support the family, working as a secretary at Bell Telephone.[1] When her brother came home from the war he persuaded her to take singing lessons. She paid for voice lessons with Sally Martin, Frank Rowe, and baritone Bernard Diamant. In the spring of 1951, Forrester appeared on the CBC radio talent competition Opportunity Knocks, singing "Ombra mai fu", and describing herself to the host as a "starving musician" and part-time switchboard operator.[2] She was ultimately named first runner-up, and later competed on the similar shows Singing Stars of Tomorrow, and Nos Futures Étoiles. She gave her debut recital at the local YWCA in 1953. She made her concert debut in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Otto Klemperer.[3] Maureen Forrester, Tel Aviv, 1961 She toured extensively in Canada and Europe with Jeunesses Musicales. She made her New York City debut in Town Hall in 1956.[4] Bruno Walter invited her to sing for him; he was looking for the right contralto for a performance and recording of the Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection". This was the start of a warm relationship with great rapport. Walter had been a protégé of Mahler, and he trained Forrester in interpretation of his works. She performed at Walter's farewell performances with the New York Philharmonic in 1957.[5] In 1957, she married the Toronto violinist and conductor Eugene Kash. The couple had five children, including actors Linda Kash and Daniel Kash. Forrester converted to Judaism.[6] She performed regularly in concert and opera. At the New York City Opera, she sang Cornelia in Handel's Giulio Cesare (1966),[7] opposite Norman Treigle and Beverly Sills, which was recorded by RCA in 1967. She sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1975 in Das Rheingold (Erda),[8] Siegfried, and Un ballo in maschera.[9] Forrester also provided the voice of the Bianca Castafiore character in the television series The Adventures of Tintin. She was a strong champion of Canadian composers, regularly scheduling their works in her programs, especially when she toured abroad. A notable example is composer Donald Steven, whose work "Pages of Solitary Delights" (winner of the 1987 Juno Award for Classical Composition of the Year) was written for Ms. Forrester. From 1983-88 she served as Chair of the Canada Council.[10] In 1986, she co-authored her autobiography, Out of Character (ISBN 0-7710-3228-5), with journalist Marci McDonald.[9] Death[edit] Maureen Forrester died on June 16, 2010, aged 79, in Toronto, after a long battle with dementia. She was predeceased by Eugene Kash, her former husband, whom she had divorced in 1974, and who died in 2004. She was survived by her five children.[9][3] Honours[edit] The star dedicated to Maureen Forrester, from 2000, on the Canada's Walk of Fame, in Toronto, Ontario. In 1967, Forrester was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. In 1969, Forrester received an honorary doctorate from Sir George Williams University, one of Concordia University's founding institutions.[11] On April 8, 1969, Forrester was chosen to sing the Canadian national anthem at the first Montreal Expos regular-season baseball game, at Shea Stadium in New York City. In 1979, Forrester received the Loyola Medal from Concordia University.[12] In 1980, Forrester received the diplôme d'honneur from the Canadian Conference of the Arts In 1983, Forrester was awarded Yale University's Sanford Medal.[13][14] From 1986-90, Maureen Forrester was Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University; the University's recital hall is named in her honour. In 1990, Forrester was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame (aka Juno Hall of Fame). In 1995, Forrester received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award.[15] In 2000, Forrester received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.[16] In 2003, Forrester was made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec. In 2004, Forrester became a MasterWorks honouree by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada.  *****  Maureen Forrester (Contralto) Born: July 25, 1930 - Montreal, Canada Died: June 16, 2010 - Toronto, Canada The Canadian contralto, teacher and administrator, Maureen (Katherine Stewart) Forrester, is the youngest of a family of four children raised in Montreal. She she studied piano as a child. Encouraged by her mother she joined Montreal church choirs, where two organists, Warner Norman at St James United and Doris Killam at Stanley Presbyterian, provided a background in music theory and literature. After she left high school at 13 her studies were financed by her earnings as a secretary, supplemented by assistance from the Montreal Social Club. She sang as a soprano until she was 17. She had begun voice studies at 16 in Montreal with Sally Martin, who soon recognized the potential of her lower voice, and she continued at 19 with Frank Rowe, a retired English oratorio and opera tenor. Forrester's studies with Bernard Diamant, whom she has acknowledged as her most important teacher, began formally in 1950 and later continued on a casual basis into the 1960s. She also studied with Michael Raucheisen in Berlin (1955). She was first runner-up in 'Opportunity Knocks' of spring 1951 and also competed in 'Singing Stars of Tomorrow' and 'Nos Futures Étoiles.' Maureen Forrester made her professional debut with the Montreal Elgar Choir in Edward Elgar's The Music Makers on December 8, 1951 at the Salvation Army Citadel. With the Opera Guild of Montreal she was a sewing girl in Charpentier's Louise on January 9-10, 1953 and the Innkeeper in Boris Godunov on January 8-9, 1954. Although she had sung as a church soloist and in contests, Forrester did not make her recital debut until 29 Mar 1953 at the Montreal YWCA accompanied by John Newmark. This collaboration became a long-standing one and included world tours. She was then engaged to give a recital for the Ladies' Morning Musical Club, which subsequently awarded her a scholarship. The expenses of launching a career which many accurately predicted would be among the greatest in Canadian annals were assumed for more than a decade by then publisher of the Montreal Star, J.W. McConnell, who had been made aware of the young singer's gifts by his music critic Eric McLean. After Maureen Forrester's MSO debut on December 8-9, 1953 in L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 under Otto Klemperer she appeared on CBC radio and TV, toured Quebec and Ontario 1953-1954 for the JMC (YMC), and made her Toronto Symphony Orchestra debut on December 29, 1954 in George Frideric Handel's Messiah. Forrester made her European debut on February 14, 1955 in Paris at the Salle Gaveau with Newmark. The European tour which followed, planned by the JM of France to last two months, was so successful that they continued to perform in recital and oratorio, and on the BBC and the Westdeutscher Rundfunk until January 1956. A subsequent Canadian tour included the premiere on August 11, 1956 at the Stratford Festival, of Harry Somers' Five Songs for Dark Voice, a work commissioned for her by the festival. Among other pianists with whom Forrester has collaborated in recital are Stuart Hamilton, Donald Nolan, John Arpin, Derek Bampton, and David Warrack. Maureen Forrester made her New York debut on November 12, 1956 at Town Hall and shortly afterwards, at the request of Bruno Walter, she sang in Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony (the 'Resurrection') in Bruno Walter's farewell performances (February 17-19, 1957) with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. (She later sang the work at the orchestra's 10,000th concert, a gala performance in March 1982). In addition to a demanding schedule of recitals, oratorio appearances, and broadcasts in Canada in 1957, she appeared with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London (under Thomas Beecham) and the Berliner Philharmoniker in its home city. Also in 1957 she married the violinist Eugene Kash (they separated in 1974). They have five children. At the 1958 Vancouver International Festival she sang Johannes Brahms' Alto Rhapsody with the Vancouver Bach Choir under Bruno Walter (repeating it three days later in the presence of HRH Princess Margaret) and premiered Jean Coulthard's Spring Rhapsody. She sang in 1960, 1961, and 1963 at the Casals Festival, and her 1960 performances there of the Alto Rhapsody and Alessandro Scarlatti's recently rediscovered Salve regina were filmed by the NFB (Festival in Puerto Rico). In 1961 she gave the Canadian premiere (July 30) of the Salve regina at Stratford and the premiere (August 26) of Milhaud's Bar Mitzvah Israel at the First Israel Music Festival in Jerusalem. In November she began an eight-concert tour of the USSR, and late in 1962 she toured Australia. She had lived for two years in Connecticut, and moved to Toronto in 1963. Her European and USA appearances continued. In 1963 she sang in the NBC TV production of J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion (BWV 244). In 1965 she and Lois Marshall joined the USA-based Bach Aria Group (founded in 1946 by William H. Scheide), bringing the number of Canadians in the group's quartet of singers to three (with Norman Farrow, bass-baritone, an original member). Forrester sang with the group until 1974. Although she had coached singers previously, Maureen Forrester gave her first master-classes in the summers of 1965 and 1966 at the RCMT. In 1966 she became chairman of the voice department at the Philadelphia Music Academy, beginning her second sojourn in the USA. She returned in 1971 to Toronto and taught in 1971-1972 part-time at the University of Toronto, where her pupils included Mary Lou Fallis. She has also given master-classes for the Department of Music of the University of Alberta (in 1985), and in many locations where she has performed. Often described as one of the world's leading contraltos, Maureen Forrester always remained loyal to her Canadian origins and to Canadian music. She premiered Gabriel Charpentier's Trois Poèmes de St-Jean de la Croix (1955), Jean Papineau-Couture's Mort (1956), Robert Fleming's The Confession Stone (Stratford, July 16, 1967), Harry Freedman's Poems of Young People, and Srul I. Glick's ... i never saw another butterfly... (Toronto, September 6, 1969), four of Keith Bissell's Six Folk Songs of Eastern Canada (at a CBC Festival, July 12, 1971), Oskar Morawetz' A Child's Garden of Verses (under the title From the World of a Child, at a CBC Festival, February 10, 1973) and his Psalm 22: God Why Have You Forsaken Me? (January 4, 1984), R. Murray Schafer's Adieu Robert Schumann (with the NACO, March 14, 1978), Beauty and the Beast (with the Orford String Quartet, April 1, 1981), and The Garden of the Heart (with the NACO, May 6, 981), Jean Coulthard's Three Sonnets of Shakespeare (Vancouver, April 2, 1978), and Stephen Chatman's You Are Happy (Vancouver, March 1989). Maureen Forrester gave as many as 120 performances a year on five continents (at one time averaging above 30 each year in Canada alone) and performed with virtually every major orchestra and choir in the world under John Barbirolli, Thomas Beecham, Leonard Bernstein, Pablo Casals, Herbert von Karajan, Otto Klemperer, Krips, James Levine, Ernest MacMillan, Seiji Ozawa, Fritz Reiner, Malcolm Sargent, Leopold Stokowski, Szell, Bruno Walter, and many other conductors. She appeared frequently and toured as soloist with both the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (USA, 1981-1982 performing Berlioz' Les Nuits d'Eté) and Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Japan and China, 1978). She returned to China in 1982 with Claude Corbeil and pianist Claude Savard. Although she sang very little opera until the 1970’s, Maureen Forrester was Cornelia in a concert performance on November 18, 1958 of G.F. Handel's Julius Caesar with the American Opera Society and made her Toronto stage debut on May 28, 1962 as Orpheus in Orpheus and Eurydice under Nicholas Goldschmidt at O'Keefe Centre. In June 1966 she sang the role of Orfeo in the first recording of the 1761 Vienna version of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, conducted by Charles Mackerras and published by Vanguard Bach Guild. Other assignments have included Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde in Buenos Aires (1963) for L'Opéra du Québec (1975) and for the Canadian Opera Company (1979); Cornelia in G.F. Handel's Julius Caesar (Forrester's USA stage debut on September 27, 1966, with the New York Opera); the Witch in Norman Campbell's CBC TV production (1970) of Hansel and Gretel (a role she repeated at the 1979 Guelph Spring Festival, and at the San Diego Opera in 1984); Ulrica in The Masked Ball with the Edmonton Opera (1971); Fricka in the Canadian Opera Company's Die Walküre (1971); Carmen in a concert performance (1972) with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra; Madame Flora in Menotti's The Medium (1974 at the Stratford Festival and again in 1977 for the COMUS Music Theatre production in Toronto which also was telecast by CBC in November 1978); Mistress Ford in Falstaff for L'Opéra du Québec (1974); Erda in Das Rheingold for her Metropolitan Opera debut (February 10, 1975); the Countess in The Queen of Spades at Festival Canada (Festival Ottawa) in 1976, again in 1979, and in 1990 for her La Scala debut; Herodias in Salome with the Edmonton Opera in 1977 and the Canadian Opera Company in 1986; the Marquise in the Canadian Opera Company's Daughter of the Regiment in 1977, Festival Ottawa's in 1980, and her Opéra de Montréal debut in 1994; Klytemnestra in Elektra for the Canadian Opera Company (1983), Madame de la Haltière in Massenet's Cendrillon for the San Franciso Opera (1982) and the New York City Opera (1983), the Old Prioress in Dialogues des Carmélites (COC, 1986), and Amente Nufe in the premiere of Schafer's Ra in 1983. Maureen Forrester also ventured into Gilbert & Sullivan repertoire, performing as Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe (1984 at the Stratford Festival) and as Katisha in the Canadian Opera Company's Mikado (1986). As part of Carnegie Hall's centennial celebrations she was a soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra in Verdi's Falstaff (November 15, 1990) and with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under Raymond Leppard in the world premiere of an orchestral arrangement of Benjamin Britten's A Charm of Lullabies (22 Jan 1991). Maureen Forrester's voice, originally a dark mezzo of trumpet clarity and power and at maturity a duskily sumptuous, extraordinarily responsive contralto at ease in the mezzo range, commanded virtually the entire repertoire within that range, although most effective, perhaps, in lieder, (especially J. Brahms, Robert Schumann, G. Mahler, and Strauss), in oratorio, and in orchestral works with voice such as G. Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. From the outset of her career, Forrester's singing was marked by a reliable and sophisticated musicianship of which impeccable pitch is only one facet. This quality, abetted by stamina and poise in the face of a hectic travel schedule and heavy advance bookings, has made her popular with conductors and managers at home and abroad. In the early years a few critics felt she used the same sound to meet the varied demands of song, resulting in overly placid interpretations. However, as her experience deepened and her vocal control became more refined, her communicative powers increased. In the Toronto Globe and Mail, May 5, 1977, John Kraglund wrote, 'It seemed to me that a well-ordered musical world would require that all vocal artists - if they could not study with Miss Forrester the art of using the voice as an instrument to interpret meaning as well as notes - should attend as many as possible of her concert performances.' In the late 1980's Maureen Forrester's voice took on a reedier quality, and she began to include less contemporary music in her repertoire. During the 1990s she cut down on travel and trimmed her schedule to approximately 50 to 60 engagements annually. She sang with the BC Boys Choir in a 1995 concert, and in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's tribute concert of G. Mahler's Second Symphony in 1995, at which she was presented with the $125,000 Royal Bank Award. Further reducing her opera and classical recitals, by 1996 she had embarked, with composer-pianist David Warrack, on a national tour of their show Interpretations of a Life, featuring humourous tunes written for her by Warrack. By 2002 she performed only occasionally, and resided in a Toronto nursing home. Maureen Forrester served a challenging term as chairwoman of the Canada Council (1983-8). Throughout the duration of this voluntary position she travelled extensively, continuing to promote Canadian music and actively communicating to various levels of government the need for greater support and increased funding for the arts on behalf of Canadian musicians, artists, and cultural organizations. She was also chancellor 1986-1990 of Wilfrid Laurier University. In 1986 she was named honorary president of the International Year of Canadian Music, and also had her memoirs, Out of Character, published. Until the late 1990s she remained active in aiding various charitable foundations, performing at benefit concerts; she also was appointed as a director of duMaurier Arts in 1993, and was honorary chair of the Toronto School of Music Canada. Maureen Forrester was named a Companion of the Order of Canada (1967) and received the University of Alberta National Award in Music (1967), the Council's Prize of the Harriet Cohen International Music Award (1968), and the Molson Prize (1971) awarded by the Canada Council for outstanding cultural achievement. In 1977 she was made an honorary member of the International Music Council. She was national president of the JMC 1972-5 and a member of the board of the NAC 1973-1979. She was a founding director of the COMUS Music Theatre Foundation in 1975, and received the CCA's Diplôme d'honneur for outstanding service to the arts in Canada in 1980 and the Canada Music Day Award in 1981. She won a Canadian Music Council medal in 1983, was given a life membership from Canadian Actor's Equity in 1986, and won the music award from the Toronto Arts Foundation in 1988. In 1990 she received the Order of Ontario, and was inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame (only classical performer besides Glenn Gould to have been so honoured). In 1994 Wilfrid Laurier University named its recital hall for her and established a music scholarship fund in her name. Forrester received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 1995, a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, and Opera Canada's first 'Ruby' award in the creative artist category in 2000. Also in 2000, CBC Radio Two featured Forrester on In Performance, and CBC TV aired the television documentary Maureen Forrester: The Diva in Winter on its Life and Times series. The Stratford Festival administers a Maureen Forrester Award, and features promising Canadian musicians in its Maureen Forrester Young Artists series. The selection committee for the Royal Bank Award termed her 'a remarkable Canadian who has enhanced Canada's reputation around the world with her art, and provided leadership in artistic endeavour.' Maureen Forrester was awarded nearly 30 honorary doctorates, among them: honorary LL D (Sir George Williams) 1967, honorary D LITT (York) 1972, honorary D LITT (St Mary's) 1972, honorary D MUS (Western) 1974, honorary D MUS (Mt Allison) 1974, honorary LL D (Wilfrid Laurier) 1975, honorary D MUS (Toronto) 1977, honorary LL D (McMaster) 1978, honorary LL D (Victoria) 1978, honorary LL D (Carleton) 1979, honorary D MUS (McGill) 1982, honorary LL D (Trent) 1983, honorary LL D (Dalhousie) 1983, honorary DU (Ottawa) 1984, honorary DU (Sherbrooke) 1985, honorary D MUS (Laval) 1985, honorary LL D (PEI) 1986, honorary doctorate (Montreal) 1987, honorary D LITT (Lakehead) 1988, honorary LL D (Windsor) 1988, honorary LL D (Simon Fraser) 1989. Maureen Forrester died in Toronto on June 16, 2010, at the age of 79, after suffering from Alzheimer’s complications. .  .EBAY4572