Dirk Jr Keetbaas | The Canadian Encyclopedia

article

Dirk Jr Keetbaas

Dirk Jr. Keetbaas. Flutist, record producer, composer, b Scheveningen, Holland, 20 Jun 1921, naturalized Canadian 1930, d Calgary 27 Jul 1995. He was the son of Dirk Keetbaas Senior (b Amsterdam 1895, d Calgary 16 Jun 1988), an Ottawa violist and conductor.

Keetbaas, Dirk Jr

Dirk Jr. Keetbaas. Flutist, record producer, composer, b Scheveningen, Holland, 20 Jun 1921, naturalized Canadian 1930, d Calgary 27 Jul 1995. He was the son of Dirk Keetbaas Senior (b Amsterdam 1895, d Calgary 16 Jun 1988), an Ottawa violist and conductor. Keetbaas Junior played in Ottawa 1940-5 with the Central Band of the RCAF, in Toronto 1946-53 in chamber groups, and with the TSO and the CBC Symphony Orchestra, and in Winnipeg 1953-68 as principal flute with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the CBC Winnipeg Orchestra. He premiered S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatté's Duo Concertante with the composer as violinist, and some of Leslie Mann's compositions, including Suite for Flute Solo. He directed 1956-66 the Dirk Keetbaas Players - Keetbaas (flute), Alan Williams (oboe), Leslie Mann (clarinet), Norman Sherman, succeeded by Thomas Elliott (bassoon), John Scecina (french horn) - including on their programs many Canadian premieres. Keetbaas can be heard as flutist (in Mann's Five Improvisations, with the pianist Ada Bronstein) and as composer-flutist (Three Miniatures for Solo Flute, 1963, a piece which has entered the flute repertoire) on the recording Music and Musicians of Canada III (1966; RCI 215/RCA CCS 1009). He can also be heard as conductor on Music of Mannheim (1967, CBC SM 41). He was the flutist on E.gré plays E.gré (1981, World Records WRC1-1596-1599). He also composed a Quintet for Winds (1961) and the orchestral overture Woodhaven (1965), and made several arrangements for woodwind quintet (eg, of Telemann's Suite in B Minor and Beethoven's Quintet in E Flat Major, Opus 4). In 1968 he became a producer and co-ordinator for CBC SM recordings in Toronto. From 1980, he taught; he retired from CBC Toronto in 1985 and moved to Calgary, where he taught composition privately. Keetbaas donated his music collection to the University of Manitoba.

Writings

'The woodwind quintet: an historical survey,' (Winnipeg 1991)

Further Reading

Challenge yourself - take the CC Quiz!

The Canadian Encyclopedia is a project of Historica Canada, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization devoted to teaching Canadians more about our shared country.  We also produce the Heritage Minutes and other programs. If you believe all Canadians should have access to free, impartial, fact-checked, regularly updated information about Canada’s history and culture in both official languages, please consider donating today. All donations above $3 will receive a tax receipt.

Book a Speaker