Mary Louise Morrison

Mary Louise Morrison, soprano (b at Winnipeg 9 Nov 1926). Studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music brought Morrison to Toronto, where she began her career as an opera singer, appearing with the Canadian Opera Co and on the CBC. She also appeared frequently as soloist with choirs and orchestras in works of the standard repertoire throughout North America. Morrison is best known, however, as a dedicated interpreter of 20th-century music.

She has sung in numerous premieres of Canadian works, many of which, in recognition of her exceptional ability to make avant-garde music enjoyable to audiences, have been specially written for her. Much of her contemporary music performance in Canada and abroad has been undertaken as a member of the Lyric Arts Trio. Since 1978 Morrison has taught at the University of Western Ontario, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and from 1979 as adjunct professor of voice at the University of Toronto. In the mid-1990s she also taught at the Aldeburgh Festival in England. Morrison is a much sought-after competition juror. She was named an Officer in the Order of Canada in 1983. After her many performances on stage and in films with scores written by her husband Harry FREEDMAN, she has devoted herself to teaching since 1985. Widely considered a pre-eminent voice teacher in Toronto, she has nurtured internationally-known artists such as Measha Brüggergosman and Robert Pomakov.

In 2009, in recognition of her contribution to Canadian new music, Mary Morrison was named a CANADIAN MUSIC CENTRE ambassador.