Creators of the Classic City: Gordon Scott

Gordon Scott’s contribution to the musical life of Stratford is both important to remember and celebrate. For close to half a century, he played a central part in building and augmenting Stratford’s enormous musical heritage.

By: Paul Wilker

In 1942, Gordon Scott accepted a position as organist and choir director at St. John’s United Church in Stratford. That decision enriched the vocal musical life of Stratford residents and the community beyond anyone’s wildest dream. From 1942, and for the next 46 years until his death in 1988, Scott’s love of music and people was shared with St. John’s, and throughout Stratford and area with individuals and choral groups in both the sacred and secular music traditions. His impact cannot be underestimated. It was life-changing for many and his legacy lives on through their continued musical contributions.

Scott’s choirs at St. John’s were legendary in Stratford and throughout Ontario. Year after year, they won first-place awards at music festivals in Stratford, Guelph, Woodstock and Toronto. When other choirs asked organizers if St. John’s was to be involved, and received a “yes” answer, they often decided not to enter the festival. When Scott learned of that, he decided not to have St. John’s compete any longer. His aim always was to encourage musical development. And through Scott, that was happening in Stratford in many ways.

After coming to St. John’s, Scott added a junior choir to the noted senior choir he developed. Like their senior counterpart, the junior choir also travelled and performed at music festivals. Then came a beginners' choir, and an intermediate choir for teens. That meant a choral musical option for all ages. All the choirs enriched the worship services at St. John’s at different times over Scott’s 46 years as director of music, organist and choir director.

Young singers sought out Scott as a teacher beginning in the 1940s and that tradition continued through Scott’s life. By 1953, he had formed The Elizabethan Singers, a madrigal group of 10 voices, male and female, from Stratford and area. They sang intricate harmonies, a cappella for the most part, with an emphasis on Elizabethan music. They presented concerts in Stratford at the Festival and Avon Theatres, and throughout southern Ontario. The CBC broadcasted their performances several times in the summer, and with Sir Ernest MacMillan at Christmas.

In 1955, The Elizabethan Singers were asked by Tyrone Guthrie to sing as Olivia’s court musicians in the Stratford Festival production of The Merchant of Venice. Guthrie had heard the Elizabethans the year before and been incredibly impressed at the second of two sold-out concerts they performed at the Festival Theatre. In 1957, some members, including Scott, appeared in Twelfth Night as travelling musicians. In 1959, the group had to disband because members had left to study in Europe (John Boyden) or to live and work elsewhere. Choral work in churches and in the secular world took major leaps forward during the 1950s and 1960s, and the work by Scott was in the forefront.

In 1972, he started The Stratford Boychoir, an ecumenical group featuring the voices of boy sopranos from Stratford and area. They performed many concerts in both Canada and the United States. One concert was headlined by Maureen Forrester. At another, they took the stage with ABBA at Maple Leaf Gardens. The Boy Choir also performed concerts in Michigan, Ohio, in Ottawa at The National Arts Centre and at Expo ’86 in Vancouver.

Scott’s St. John’s Church Choir also appeared onstage at the Festival Theatre with Duke Ellington. That happened on July 7, 1968 at a sold-out summer concert that featured a Concert of Sacred Music composed by Ellington. It was a compliment to Scott's reputation and talent that he was asked to put together a large ensemble vocal group to work with Ellington. The St. John’s choir provided ensemble choral work on their own and sang with the band and soloists for several Ellington created numbers.

Scott also provided rehearsal and singing training for Stratford Festival actors for several years. He also recommended talent to the festival and trained boys from both his church choir and from The Stratford Boychoir as young singers and actors in many plays. That tradition began in 1956 with The Merry Wives of Windsor and continued into the 1980s, when a young Stratford lad, Graham Abbey, began his career in the same way and in the same play.

Scott’s support for people and groups in music was life-changing and through those who studied with him, that influence reached throughout Canada and beyond. Many careers in music and the arts including those of John Boyden and Barbara Collier of Stratford began their lives in music with Scott.

The first memorial concert given for Scott was on Jan. 22, 1989. Barbara Collier (soprano) and Paul Coates (piano) provided the music. Six other memorial concerts followed by other singers and musicians.

Scott’s contribution to the musical life of Stratford is both important to remember and celebrate. For close to half a century, like Cora B. Ahrens and others before and after him, Scott played a central part in building and augmenting Stratford’s enormous musical heritage.

Taken from Creators of the Classic City: www.streetsofstratford.ca.

“Creators of the Classic City” is an ongoing Times series written by Paul Wilker and Gord Conroy, co-authors of the e-book of the same name. Interested readers can find the free book online at https://online.fliphtml5.com/ypken/pqiv/.