Violet Archer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Violet Archer
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| Born |
Violet Balestreri
24 April 1913 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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| Died | 21 February 2000 (aged 86) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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| Education |
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| Occupation | Composer, teacher, pianist, organist, and percussionist |
| Awards | Order of Canada, 1983 |
Violet Louise Archer CM (April 24, 1913 – February 21, 2000) was a famous Canadian composer and teacher. She was also a talented pianist, organist, and percussionist. Born as Violet Balestreri in Montreal, Quebec, her family changed their name to Archer in 1940. She passed away in Ottawa in 2000.
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Violet Archer's Education and Teaching Career
Violet Archer loved learning about music. She earned her first music degree from McGill University in 1936. There, she studied how to compose music with a teacher named Douglas Clarke.
In 1942, she traveled to New York City to study with the famous composer Béla Bartók. He taught her about Hungarian folk tunes and different ways to create music variations. Later, she studied with Paul Hindemith at Yale University. She earned two more degrees from Yale in 1948 and 1949.
Violet Archer also had a long and successful teaching career. From 1950 to 1953, she was a "Composer-in-Residence" at the University of North Texas. This means she was a composer who also taught at the university. She then taught at the University of Oklahoma until 1961.
In 1962, she joined the Faculty of Music at the University of Alberta. She became the head of the Theory and Composition Department there. She taught at the University of Alberta until she retired. Many of her students became successful musicians and composers themselves.
Violet Archer's Musical Journey
Besides teaching, Violet Archer had a busy career as a musician and composer. She played percussion in the Montreal Women's Symphony Orchestra from 1940 to 1947. This was important because, at that time, many major orchestras did not allow women to join.
She also played the clarinet and string instruments. In Montréal, she worked as an accompanist (playing piano for singers or other instruments) and an organist.
As a composer, Violet Archer wrote over 330 pieces of music! Her works included both traditional and more modern styles for instruments and voices. For example, she wrote a funny opera called Sganarelle in 1973. She also created the music for a 1976 documentary film called Someone Cares. She even experimented with electronic music.
Archer is well-known for writing about 90 compositions for new musicians. She wanted to help people of all skill levels enjoy and understand modern music. Her pieces helped them learn about harmony, melody, and rhythm.
Awards and Special Honours
Violet Archer received many awards and honours for her contributions to music. Several universities gave her honorary degrees, including McGill University (1971) and the University of Alberta (1993).
In 1983, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honours a Canadian citizen can receive.
In 1985, the Violet Archer Festival was held in Edmonton. It was the first festival ever to honour a living Canadian composer. There is also a park named Violet Archer Park in Edmonton. In Calgary, a special library called The Violet Archer Library holds over 20,000 music scores.
The Canadian indie rock band The Violet Archers was named after her.
Selected Works by Violet Archer
Violet Archer composed a wide variety of music. Here are a few examples of her many works:
- 3 Concerti, including her Piano Concerto
- Sinfonietta
- Trio no. 2
- String Quartet no. 3
- The Bell
- Northern Landscapes – A Tribute to Violet Archer
- Surrealistic Portraiture
- By a Canadian Lady – Piano Music 1841–1997
- Assemblage
- NORTHERN ARCH
- Soliloquies for changing Bb and A clarinets
- CROSSROADS
- Ballade
- Hertz Trio
Songs
- "À la claire fontaine" (for two voices and Piano)
See also
In Spanish: Violet Archer para niños
