Ruth Watson Henderson facts for kids

Ruth Louise Watson Henderson, born on November 23, 1932, is a talented Canadian composer and pianist. A composer writes music, and a pianist plays the piano. She is well-known for her beautiful musical pieces and her skill at the piano.

For many years, she was the accompanist for the Festival Singers of Canada. An accompanist plays music to support singers or other musicians. This experience helped her learn how to write music for choirs. She also played for the Toronto Children's Chorus from its start in 1978 until 2007. She was also the music director at Kingsway-Lambton United Church in Toronto from 1996 to 2013.

Ruth Henderson is a member of the Canadian Music Centre. She has written many different kinds of music. Her works include pieces for organ, piano, violin, trumpet, and string orchestra. She has also written more than 200 pieces for choirs. Her music often uses special kinds of harmonies called modal and impressionistic.

In 1989, her piece Chromatic Partita for Organ won an award. This was at an International Competition for Women Composers in Germany. In 1992, her work Voices of Earth won a National Choral Award. This award was for the best choral composition. In 1996, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Ontario Choral Federation. Many of her musical works are played and enjoyed around the world. Canadian choirs often perform entire concerts of her compositions.

Ruth Henderson's Life and Musical Journey

Early Life and Education

Ruth Louise Watson was born in Toronto, Canada. She started playing the piano when she was very young. From 1937 to 1945, she studied piano with Viggo Kihl.

Later, she went to The Royal Conservatory of Music. She studied there from 1945 to 1952. She earned two important diplomas in piano playing. She studied piano with Alberto Guerrero. She also learned how to compose music from Oskar Morawetz, Samuel Dolin, and Richard Johnston. From 1952 to 1954, she continued her piano studies in New York City. She attended the Mannes College of Music and studied with Hans Neumann.

Professional Career and Performances

Ruth Watson Henderson gave her first professional concert in 1952 in Toronto. She quickly became a busy solo concert pianist. She performed with symphony orchestras all across Canada. She also played often on CBC Radio.

In 1956, she won a big prize on a CBC radio talent show called Opportunity Knocks. After this, she moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she lived until 1961. After a few years in Kitchener, she returned to Toronto. She still lives there today.

Composing for Choirs

While she was the accompanist for the Festival Singers of Canada, she started writing choral music. Choral music is written for a choir to sing. One of her early pieces was 'Missa Brevis.' Later, she wrote larger works like 'Voices of Earth' and 'From Darkness to Light.' These pieces were inspired by her work with excellent choirs.

When she was the accompanist for the Toronto Children's Chorus, she wrote many songs for children's voices. One of these was Clear Sky and Thunder. This was a music-drama about Inuit children. The Toronto Children's Chorus first performed it in 1984. Another piece was 'The Last Straw,' which featured the famous singer Ben Heppner in 1990.