Richard Eaton Singers

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Richard Eaton Singers
Choir
OriginEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
Founded1951 (1951)
FounderRichard Eaton
Chief conductorLeonard Ratzlaff
Websiterichardeatonsingers.com

Richard Eaton Singers is a symphonic chorus in Edmonton, Alberta. There are 150 members in the choir, which frequently performs with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and is at home[clarification needed] in the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. The choir has commissioned and premiered new works by Canadian composers. RES has toured Canada and Europe.

History[edit]

The University Singers chorus was founded in 1951 by Richard Eaton, the first Chair of the Department of Music at the University of Alberta.[1] In 1969, after Eaton's death, the choir voted to rename the group after its founder.[2][3]

Richard Eaton conducted the Chorus until 1967, and was succeeded by Alexandra Munn (1967–1973) and Larry Cook (1973–1981), both U of A faculty members.[4]

The choir has completed a number of tours in Canada; in 1970 the choir performed several concerts in England,[5] and in 1987 they traveled to The Hague.[6]

In the 1980s the RES conducted evening concerts at Edmonton's All Saints Cathedral.[7][4]

RES is currently conducted by Leonard Ratzlaff, a 30-year member of the RES in 2011.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Richard Eaton Singers brought music to the people". University of Alberta website, by Tom Murray, June 1, 2001
  2. ^ Margaret C. Matheson (2001). A Passion for Music: A Biography of Richard S. Eaton. Spotted Cow Press. pp. 274–. ISBN 978-0-9688977-0-6.
  3. ^ Clifford Ford (1982). Canada's music: an historical survey. GLC Publishers. p. 213.
  4. ^ a b Pan Pipes of Sigma Alpha Iota. G. Banta Publishing Company. 1978. p. 19.
  5. ^ Donald F. Forster (1971). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs. University of Toronto Press. p. 562.
  6. ^ "Richard Eaton Singers". The Canadian Encyclopedia, Allison Kydd, Brian Harris 02/07/2006
  7. ^ Phillip Buckner; R. Douglas Francis (1 November 2011). Canada and the British World: Culture, Migration, and Identity. UBC Press. pp. 331–. ISBN 978-0-7748-4031-6.
  8. ^ Ellen Schoeck (1 October 2006). I Was There: A Century of Alumni Stories about the University of Alberta, 1906–2006. University of Alberta. pp. 278–. ISBN 978-0-88864-855-6.

External links[edit]