In 1909, the Canadian Guild of Organists, newly formed in Brantford, Ontario, invited Dr. Albert Ham Mus.Doc.,
F.R.C.O. to become the first president. This brought the centre of activity to Toronto for the first eleven years, with
the residence of Dr. and Mrs. Ham at 16 Jarvis Street as the place of gatherings such as a garden party following the
events of the annual meeting of September 6 and 7, 1911. An evening service was held at St. James Cathedral where
Dr. Ham was organist and choirmaster. He played an S. R. Warren Organ of 37 stops built originally in 1853, later
enlarged in 1888 and again in 1906. The choir numbered about 60 men and boys.
The aim of the Guild was to serve Canada from coast to coast and the second general meeting was held in London.
The second president was Montreal organist Percival J. Illsley Mus. D., F.R.C.O. One of the earliest associates was
Charles Duff, age 17, a blind organist from Brantford. The examiners were Dr. Ham and Herbert Sanders, Mus. Bac., of
Ottawa. The Guild Headquarters was set up in Toronto and has remained here. As centres opened across the country,
Toronto membership understandably outnumbered all others.
The Presidents of Toronto Centre, known as Chairmen until recently, are as follows:
| 1934-37 | Herbert A. Fricker MusD, FRCO | |
| 1937-40 | Charles Peaker MusD, FRCO, FRCCO (hon) | |
| 1940-42 | W. Wells Hewitt | |
| 1942-44 | Maitland Farmer | |
| 1944-46 | Dalton McLaughlin AAGC, FRCCO (hon) | |
| 1946-47 | A.E. Clarke | |
| 1947-49 | Muriel Gidley FRCCO (hon) LTCM | |
| 1949-51 | Harold Williams | |
| 1951-53 | Gerald A. Bales ATCM, FRCCO (hon causa) | |
| 1953-55 | James Chalmers ACCO, FRCCO (hon causa) | |
| 1955-57 | Clifford McAree MusB, LRCT, FRCCO (hon causa) | |
| 1957-59 | Henry Rosevear FCCO | |
| 1959-61 | Ronald T. Woollard BA, BPaed, ACCO | |
| 1961-63 | Kenneth Davis BA, BEd, ARCCO | |
| 1963-65 | William M. Findlay BA, ACCO | |
| 1965-67 | James Chalmers ACCO | |
| 1967-69 | Frederick Geohegan | |
| 1969-71 | Alan T. Jackson | |
| 1971-73 | Melville Cook MusD, FRCO | |
| 1973-75 | William H. M. Wright BA, BD, FRCCO | |
| 1975-77 | Alan H. Cowle | |
| 1977-79 | Dwight Munger BA | |
| 1979-81 | Lorna Holmes ATCM | |
| 1981-83 | Rev. R. Douglas Perry LTh | |
| 1983-85 | Lorne Swan MMath, BSc, ARCT | |
| 1985-87 | Jean Nichols BA | |
| 1987-88 | Ronald S. Jordan MusBac, FRCCO(CHM) | |
| 1988-90 | Elizabeth Darby BA, ARCT | |
| 1990-92 | Peter G. Merrick MusBac | |
| 1992-94 | David Harrison MA, ARCCO | |
| 1994-96 | Doreen Porter BMus, ARCCO, ARCT | |
| 1996-98 | Mark Toews BMus, MMus, DMA, ARCT | |
| 1998-2000 | Peter F Bishop BMus, MA, MLS | |
| 2000-02 | Barbara Hallam-Price MMus | |
| 2002-04 | Thomas A. Fitches | |
| 2004-06 | Norma Brubacher CRCCO | |
| 2006-08 | Patricia Phillips Wright DMA, MFA, FRCCO (hon) | |
| 2008-2010 | Hazel E. Ogilvie BA DipEd., CRCCO | |
| 2010- | James Bailey BArch, MRAIC, OAA |
Conventions hosted in Toronto included 1925, 1947, 1954, 1959, 1967(ICO), 1975, 1991 and 2001. Of special note
were those of 1959, the Golden Jubilee Convention featuring André Marchal and Sir Ernest MacMillan; 1954 featuring
E. Power Biggs; and 1967, the Canadian Centennial Year which took the delegates to Ottawa and Montreal after
Toronto. The year 2009 brings the convention to Toronto for the 100th Anniversary of the RCCO.
Of particular note, the Golden Jubilee Convention of 1959 celebrated the first 50 years of the RCCO with the first
woman president, Mrs. Muriel Gidley Stafford, in the chair. The opening reception and closing banquet were held at
the King Edward Hotel and the College Service close by at St. James Cathedral where Dr. Albert Ham had hosted the
first college service in September 1911. Murray A. Lye, bell-ringer at St. James for 71 years, rang the bells for both
occasions. Featured performers in 1959 included André Marchal at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Charles Peaker at
Convocation Hall, Sir Ernest MacMillan with Hugh MacLean and Maureen Forrester at Metropolitan United, Donald
McDonald at Holy Trinity Church and Dr. Healey Willan at St. Mary Magdalene, where he prefaced the Gregorian
Evensong with a lecture about the music, the manner of singing and the matter of leaving the church silently at
the finish.
Choral and organ workshops are always included in the centre programs. Perhaps the best attended workshop on
record took place on September 27, 1969, when 87 people registered for a ‘Teach-In’ at Deer Park United Church.
Rotating classes with six lecturers provided information useful to candidates for the RCCO examination paperwork and
keyboard tests. “Hymn and Anthem Accompaniment” was covered by Melville Cook, Mus.D., FRCO, “History and
Questions” by F.R.C.Clarke, Mus.D., FCCO, “Playing Style” by Barrie Cabena, FRCO, FRCCO, “Sight Reading, Vocal Score,
Transposition and Modulation” by Muriel Stafford, FRCCO(Hon.Causa), “Playing Technic by Douglas Bodle ACCO,” and “Harmony and Counterpoint” by Derek Holman, Mus.D., FRCO(CHM), FRAM. Two attendees earned their Associatships
the following years, Ona Beresnevicius in 1970 and Derek Bate in 1971.
When the CCO held recitals in churches, the collection in the 1950’s was averaging 25 cents a head. Applause was not
allowed. Organist Ray Ackerman subsequently reported that St. Paul’s Avenue Road Church had approved the selling
of tickets for concerts. The centre held a recital there with Marie-Claire Alain on March 7, 1961 and realized a profit of
$15.78 by virtue of the fact that ten patrons had added $152.00 toward receipts the concert which cost $503.97 in
fees and expenses.
Five years later, on January 31st,1966, a recital was given by Virgil Fox on the newly revised organ in Yorkminster Park
Baptist Church. Over 1,800 tickets we sold. Ticket holders were requested to be in their seats by 8.10 p.m. as the
public would be admitted after that time. A huge crowd formed outside in the freezing weather while Mr. Fox finished
his practising. The delay was not appreciated by the RCCO ticket sellers and the showmanship of Mr. Fox did not read
well in the newspapers. Nevertheless, the church doors were opened for recitals, ticket sales and applause, and the
Toronto Centre’s coffers were full.
Student recitals were often included in the centre programs to the benefit of the young organists and their teachers.
The emergence of more and more fine players brought about the first Toronto Centre Competition in 1999. The
finalists played on November 20 at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Stephen Fraser won first prize, Kunle Owolabi,
second, and Marty Smyth third. The judges were Drs. Christian Teeuwsen and John MacIntosh.
The second competition finals were held February 2004 at Lawrence Park Community Church. First prize went to Ryan
Jackson and the second to Andrei Streliaev. In May 2006 the third competition was held at Rosedale United Church:
first prize Aaron Tan, second Konrad Harley, third Andrew Weleschuck.
In the matter of outreach, the first Toronto Organ Day held on Saturday, May 3, 1997, was a resounding success.
Instigated by Simon Dyk, the 160 places were sold out weeks before the event which was centered at Yorkminster
Park Baptist Church. Six organs in central Toronto were used for demonstrations, inspection, and to be played by the
registrants, many of whom were children with parents in tow. Busses on a tight schedule ran between the various
churches and to the Gober Organ factory operating on Dupont Street. A short organ recital by William Maddox at
Yorkminster Park Church concluded the day. A second Organ Day on May 1, 1999, was equally successful. Lesser
versions of the Day and renamed ‘Pipes, Pedals and Pizza’ followed as March Break sessions for young people, organized
by Peter Treen.
A new outreach happening began drawing crowds of hundreds when organ students Ryan Jackson and Christopher Ku
from the Faculty of Music enticed the Phantom of the Organ to play at Metropolitan United Church at 10 o’clock on
Halloween evening, 2004. By 2006, the audience had grown to nearly 400 people for the event taken on by Andrew
Adair and Andrew Weleschuk, whose Danse Macabre was part of a program of appealing music leading to audience
development.
Edward Barwell, an employee of Bell Canada, was a devout Anglican and lover of organ music. His wife, Florence
Barwell, recalls attending many organ recitals including the Yorkminster Park Baptist Church series. When Edward died
in 1987, his wife, Florence wanted to find something suitable to honour his memory. His cousins Bob and Eleanor
Evenden, members of the Hamilton Centre of the RCCO, suggested a scholarship fund. The original prize was $300 or
$500. Soo-Bok Shim was the first winner of the Barwell Scholarship in 1988-89. She writes that "the Barwell
Scholarship changed my life." Doreen Porter, Simon Dyk, Grace Scott, Mel Hurst, Kenneth Inkster, and others have
through the years recommended scholarships to many pianists interested in studying organ. Most pursue their organ
studies and make surprisingly rapid progress.
The future for quality organ recitals from Toronto Centre seems assured with the foundation of the organ recital
series, Organ Horizons. It is expected that the public visibility of the performance programs will have a positive
influence on the status of the organ as a performance instrument and in turn upon those who study and play it as
a profession.