Winnifred Sim

Sim, Winnifred

(Margaret) Winnifred Sim, (b Johnston). Pianist, organist, teacher, b Winnipeg 28 Jun 1930; AMM piano 1949, AMM organ 1954, ARCCO 1965, ARCT 1966, FTCL 1973. She studied piano with her aunt, Winnifred Hubble Frayne (sister of Filmer Hubble), and Gwendda Owen Davies and organ with Hugh Bancroft, John Clarke, and Ronald Gibson. She was organist-choirmaster 1947-65 at Sparling United Church, 1965-75 at Westworth United Church, Winnipeg, and 1977-91 at Elim Chapel. In 1991 she became organist and music director at Grace Bible Church (Winnipeg). She has given recitals in public (debut 1952) and on CBC radio. She became the organist for CBC TV's 'Hymn Sing' in 1965 and succeeded Eric Wild as the program's music director in 1977, continuing in that capacity in 1991. Also one of Winnipeg's busiest accompanists, she has been the recital partner of the violinist Lea Foli, the singers Peter van Ginkel and Nona Mari, and many others. She became an official accompanist at the Manitoba (Winnipeg) Music Competition Festival ca 1950 and has recorded as accompanist to the Hymn Sing Chorus. With van Ginkel she recorded Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel, Hugo Wolf's Poems of Michelangelo, and Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte (1973, CBC SM-257).

Sim began teaching organ, repertoire, and service playing for the Canadian Mennonite Bible College in 1970 and was on staff at the college 1977-8. She has continued to conduct workshops in choral accompanying, ear training, and in the training of church choirs. Her son Bryan William is a jazz musician, her daughter Margot Elinor is a soprano and the winner of a 1977 Women's Musical Club of Winnipeg scholarship, and her daughter Merrily Peters is a violist and a member of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.