Norman Hurrle

Hurrle, Norman

Norman (William) Hurrle. Organist, choirmaster, teacher, b Peterborough, Ont, 1 May 1927, d Saskatoon 26 Aug 1989; ARCT 1949; ARCM, ARCO 1959; FTCL 1960. He studied 1946-9 at the University of Toronto and concurrently was organist-choirmaster at Wycliffe College. He held positions 1947-65 as organist-choirmaster in Toronto, Brockville, Newmarket, and Peterborough, Ont, and at St Matthias' Church in Montreal. He also was organist-choirmaster 1965-9 at St James' Cathedral, Toronto, and 1970-3 at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver. He taught 1966-70 at the University of Toronto and in 1974 moved to Victoria, BC to become music director at St Michael's School; he was also organist-choirmaster 1981-3 at Christ Church Cathedral. Following a year's study in Britain he returned to Canada to live in Goderich, Ont. In 1986 he moved to Prince Albert, Sask to become organist-choirmaster of St Alban's Cathedral, serving there until 1988 when he moved to Saskatoon to become organist-choirmaster of All Saints' Anglican Church, where he remained until his sudden death in 1989. During the Second International Congress of Organists (1967) Hurrle's choir at St James' Cathedral in Toronto became the first in Canada to sing daily cathedral services for a week (16 in eight days, including the Canadian premiere of Walton's The Twelve). During his term in Victoria Hurrle was for five years accompanist for Amity Singers. Hurrle appeared as soloist with the TSO and supervised the rebuilding of the organs in All Saints' Church, Peterborough, St James' Cathedral, Toronto, and Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver. His pupils include Brian Cherney, Robert Kennedy, and Patrick Wedd.