Donald Patriquin

Patriquin, Donald

Donald Patriquin. Composer, organist, choral conductor, teacher, b Sherbrooke, Que, 21 Oct 1938; B SC (Bishop's) 1959, B MUS (McGill) 1964, MA (Toronto) 1970, A MUS (McGill), licentiate (RCCO). Patriquin started composing at 11 and studied with Jean Papineau-Couture at CAMMAC's summer sessions, winning several awards. After completing a biology degree, he decided to pursue music, studying at McGill University with István Anhalt (composition) and Kenneth Meek (organ), and later at the University of Toronto with John Weinzweig.

Patriquin's works frequently make use of folk music elements and abstract noises recalling sounds of nature, witnessed in such pieces as Fantasy for Fiddle, premiered (1975) by Jean Carignan and the Montreal Chamber Orchestra, and Hangman's Reel/Suite Carignan, premiered (1978) by Carignan and the Grands Ballets Canadiens orchestra (both recorded by Carignan); Six Songs of Early Canada (1980) and Gaspesia (1984) for choir; and Blanche de Percé (1982) for narrator, guitar, flute and percussion. Several of these compositions are actually multi-media works, among them Trois mois (1982), with diaporama, and Earthpeace II (1988), which commemorates the victims of Chernobyl, for dancers and choir.

Other works include Antiphon and the Child of Mary (1992), which won the Melodious Accord Biennial Composition Search for New Choral Music; Cycles for soprano, piano and clarinet, to poetry by Frank Scott, premiered 9 Oct 1997 at McGill University; World Music Suite, commissioned for the Toronto Children's Chorus's 20th anniversary season in 1998; Requiem at Sea (The Titanic), premiered in St John's, Nfld, by the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble in 1999; Canadian Mosaic, commissioned by the English Montreal School Board Chorale in 2000; Psalms & Canticles of Praise and Peace, for choir, organ and chamber ensemble, commissioned by the American Guild of Organists in 2003; and the musical Louisa's Story, libretto by Sunil Mahtani, premiered in 2005. Patriquin has continued to set folksongs, arranging in 1993 J'entends le moulin, which is performed frequently. He collaborated with Thomas Barnett on the well-received Song for the Holy One (2004), for which he wrote psalms and refrains.

Among his choral works, Six Songs of Early Canada (one of his most often-performed works), Songs of Innocence, and A Child's Carol have been recorded by the St Lawrence Choir with the F.A.C.E. Treble Choir (SNE 522), and Noëls anciens by the McGill Chamber Singers (McGill University Records 82014). The Gerald Danovitch Saxophone Quartet and pianists Luba and Ireneus Zuk have recorded Earthpeace One for A Tempo. His music is published by Earthsongs (US), A Tempo, and Canadian International Music (Canada). He conducts for CAMMAC and the Sunnymeade Sunshine Theatre.

Patriquin taught analysis, theory, ear training and arranging at McGill University 1965-96. He is the organist and choir director at Creek United Church, Foster, Que.He is an associate of the Canadian Music Centre, and a member of the Canadian League of Composers, the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors, and SOCAN.

Writings
"Reflections on Canadian Choral Music, Composers and Himself" and "A Listing of Canadian Choral Composers." In Their Own Words: Canadian Choral Conductors. Ed Holly Higgins Jonas (Toronto 2001)

List of Compositions

Choral - a capella
The Greenwood Tree. 1963

A Lover and His Lass. 1965

Take, 0 Take Those Lips Away. 1962

Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair, arr. 1968

Magnificat. 1983

Sortilege. 1979

An Old Gaelic Blessing. 1990

Il est né le divin enfant, arr. 1989

Sixty-fold Amen. 1989

Antiphon and the Child of Mary. 1992

Choral - with accompaniment
Six Songs of Early Canada, arr. 1980 rev. 1992

A Child's Carol. 1952 rev. 1992

Listen Sweet Dove. 1981

Songs of Innocence. 1984

Carol of the Fieldmice. 1985, rev. 1992

Chantons Noël. 1985 rev. 1992

Earthpeace Two. 1988

All Through the Night. arr. 1989

Introit. 1990

Prayer of Saint Francis. 1990

Requiem at Sea (The Titanic). 1992

Six Noëls Anciens, arr. 1982

'A Soalin', arr. 1992

On Christmas Day, arr. 1992

J'entends le Moulin, arr. 1992

Sister Mary Had One Child, arr. 1992

Un Canadien errant, arr. 1993

Overture to Christmas. 1993

The Five Seasons. 1997

World Music Suite. 1997

Mass for the Caribbean. 1998