Srul Irving Glick

Born in 1934, Srul grew up in Toronto, where his father was a cantor and his brother was a clarinetist of distinction. He was educated at the University of Toronto where he received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in composition and theory. He continued his studies in Paris, France with such masters as Darius Milhaud, Louis Saguer and Max Deutsch. He was a teacher of theory and composition himself at the Royal Conservatory of Music and York University.

Glick was one of Canada’s most prolific composers, writing in all media from chamber music to oratorio. Especially significant is his vocal and choral music, for which he received numerous awards including: The J.I. Segal Award for his contribution to Jewish music in Canada; the Kavod Award presented by the Cantor’s Assembly of America, “for his lifelong dedication to the music of the synagogue, to cantorial chant and to cantors”; The Solomon Schechter Award presented to the Beth Tikvah’s music program by the United Synagogue of America; an Honourary Fellowship from the Royal Canadian College of Organists “for his contribution to musical life in Canada, and in particular to the music of the synagogue”, and most recently in 1995, a second gold Solomon Schechter award for the best musical program for a synagogue in North America.In the year 2001, he received the prestigious Ateret Kavod (Crown of Honour) Award from the United Synagogue of America. Glick was proclaimed Composer-in Residence of Beth Tikvah Synagogue in Toronto where he was choir director from 1964 to 2002. His liturgical music has been performed and recorded with this excellent choral group in Canada, the United States and Israel.

In 1993 Beth Tikvah released the first complete compact disc of Glick’s music for cantor and choir entitled “Beth Tikvah Sings”, performed by cantor

Efraim Sapir and the Beth Tikvah choir. In addition, Mr. Glick served as program director of Jewish Music Toronto for 4 years and he filled the portfolio as program director of Musica Beth Tikvah, two concert series of Jewish music in Toronto.

In 1986, Glick left the CBC where he had been a producer of serious music since 1962. His involvement in the field of production, recordings and programming won him seven Grand Prix du Disque and a Juno Award. In 1993, Mr. Glick received a Governor General’s medal in honour of Canada’s 125th anniversary of Confederation “for his contribution to Canadian culture”, and in 1994 was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for his “outstanding achievement …, service to Canada and to humanity at large”.

In the year 2000, Glick received the extraordinary Yuvel Award, presented by The Cantor’s Assembly of America, for his “lifelong commitment to the composition of music that captures the heart and touches the soul.”

One of Canada’s most prominent composers, Glick‘s music is performed regularly in Canada, in the USA and abroad. His unique integration of contemporary music, Hebraic lyricism and classical composition techniques, formed into a masterful character-filled music that is both dramatic and lyrical, has won him considerable acclaim. A great many of his works appear on recordings and compact discs, and are published in Canada, the USA and the United Kingdom.

Since 1964, Mr. Glick received hundreds of commissions from great artists and institutions. Commissioners have included: Jon Vickers, Maureen Forrester, The Canadian Brass, The Orford String Quartet, The St. Lawrence String Quartet, The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (3), The Elmer Iseler Singers (4), The Toronto Symphony, The Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, The Vancouver Chamber Choir, Marta Hidy, James Campbell, Anton Kuerti, Senia Trubashnik, Judy Loman, Jennifer Swarz, Toronto Children’s Chorus, Trio Lyra, Ofra Harnoy, Camerata, Valerie Tryon, Valerie Siren, The Victoria Symphony, Steven Staryk, Jacques Israelievitch, Rivka Golani, Dorothy Sandler Glick, Cantor Louis Danto, Cantor Alberto Mizrachi, The Montreal Violin Competition, Boris Brott and the Hamilton Philharmonic, Alexander Brott and the McGill Chamber Orchestra, The Kingston Symphony, The Mississauga Children’s Chorus, Pieter Sigmundt for Vox Finlandia, The Toronto Dance Theater, The Toronto Repertory Ensemble, The Finlandia Sinfonietta and Ralf Gothoni, Chamber Players of Toronto, The Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison, The Canadian Piano Trio, Festival of the Sound.

Srul Irving Glick passed away April 17, 2002