Desmond Gaspar

Last updated August 17, 2023

Desmond Gaspar is a Canadian organist, pianist, conductor, composer and songwriter who works as a freelance concert artist^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7] and ballet pianist who won the Associateship and Fellowship diplomas of the Royal Canadian College of Organists in consecutive years while under 30 years of age, thus being one of a very small number of Canadians under that age to achieve that distinction at the time.

A Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (winning the Associateship and Fellowship Diplomas in consecutive years as well as the Charles Peaker and the Healey Willan Prizes respectively with those attempts, scoring the highest mark in Canada for the latter), Gaspar was one of a very small number of Canadians who won that professional designation under the age of thirty at the time of his receiving it. He has also conducted chamber orchestras, massed choirs and jazz combos in addition to writing a number of uniquely crafted classical songs (based on T.S. Eliot's cycle Prufrock and Other Observations). In 2007 he appeared in Los Angeles at the "TAXI" convention in a gala promo event featuring some original songs from his collection, entitled The Dancer and I.

From 2005 to 2007 Gaspar stepped in as Associate Organist at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, London, Ontario, where he performed in the Cathedral concert series as organ accompanist which often featured members of Orchestra London – and where he was publicly declared "A World Class Musician" on two occasions by the Cathedral Dean, now Bishop, Terry Dance.

Personal life

Gaspar, born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, began his music studies at a young age with trumpet and demonstrated considerable musical ability at an early age. By age thirteen, after having learned the Haydn trumpet concerto and the challenging Puedert Studies, he began to show more interest in the piano and abandoned the trumpet altogether for some twenty five years. After having finished with his piano and then later, organ studies, he resumed playing jazz trumpet with Jack Hayter and the Con Brio Band in Stratford as well as with the dance band "The Royal Aires".

In 2002, he took a long working sabbatical to focus on composition, song writing, jazz and other disciplines and has worked intermittently as a church musician including his short stint at the London Cathedral. He performed two full length recitals in 2010 in addition to some other guest solo appearances and continues his work as a Ballet accompanist^[9] on a regular basis in Toronto.

List of compositions

Lieder (art songs – voice and piano): Prufrock (Song Cycle based upon poems by T.S. Eliot): Lovesong, Portrait, Prelude #1, Prelude #2, Prelude #3;
Lo and Behold

Choral: Agnus Dei (setting for SATB choir, divided passages and solo-soprano passage included)

Pop songs (voice and piano): Dancer and I (Collection): Dancing 'round the Fire, Dancing Alone, Happy and Free, Dreams For Two, Dancing with you, Beautiful Dancer, Mystic Dreams, The Dancer and I, Playful Colours, Lovesong, Magick

Lovers (Collection): Crazy 'bout you, Coming Home, Penny Love

Discography

Lovers
The Dancer and I
For the Father and the Son^[10]

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References

External links

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[1] York Region Website – article on Desmond Gaspar as music director of Trinity United Church, Newmarket, Ontario

[2] Organ Alternatives Journal, Fall 2004

[3] "Simcoe County events re. Collingwood, Ontario – concert announcement for 2010/12/04". Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2011.

[4] Town of Collingwood website, Collingwood, Ontario – announcement of concert on 2010/12/04 Archived 6 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine

[5] Town of Newmarket – What's On (November and December 2009), Newmarket, Ontario Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine

[6] Organ Alternatives Journal, Summer 2000

[7] The Stratford Gazette, Stratford, Ontario

[8] Obituary of Heather Spry's mother mentioning her daughter's prior decease

[9] Piano Accompanists Online Directory, Based in London, UK (Europe)

[10] CD by Glenn & Robin Wilhelm FOR THE FATHER AND THE SON

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