Norman Symonds
{{Short description|Canadian musician}}
{{For|those of a similar name|Norman Simmonds|Norman Simmons (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
Norman Alec Symonds (23 December 1920Clifford Ford. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WYoXAQAAIAAJ Canada's music: an historical survey]. GLC Publishers; 1982. p. 233. – 21 August 1998) was a Canadian composer, clarinetist, and saxophonist who lived and worked in Toronto, Ontario.[https://books.google.com/books?id=VQs3AAAAMAAJ The Canadian Music Journal]. Canadian Music Council.; 1957. p. 40. A leading figure in the third-stream movement in Canada, he composed several jazz works which employed classical forms.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/norman-symonds-emc|title=Norman Symonds|encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia|author=Clifford Ford|accessdate=25 April 2010}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=T_oEAAAAMAAJ The Musical Times]. Vol. 111, Issues 1523-1534. Musical Times Publications Limited; 1970. p. 15.
Early life and education
Symonds was born in Nelson, British Columbia. He grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, where he began playing the clarinet as a teenager. He served in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II from 1938 to 1945. While stationed in Halifax he played with a dixieland band under the direction of saxophonist Charles "Bucky" Adams.
In 1945 Symonds entered The Royal Conservatory of Music where he studied clarinet, piano, theory, and harmony through 1948. He then studied privately for several years with Gordon Delamont in Toronto.
Career
From 1949 to 1966, Symonds worked actively as a clarinetist, alto and baritone saxophonist and arranger with several dance bands in Toronto, including those led by Leo Romanelli, Bobby Gimby, and Benny Louis. From 1953 to 1957 he played with and directed his own jazz octet whose members also included Ed Bickert, Ron Collier, Ross Culley, Bernie Piltch, Jack Richardson, and Jerry Toth.[https://books.google.com/books?id=kjdEAQAAIAAJ Down Beat]. Vol. 25, Issues 1-6. Maher Publications; January 1958. p. 29. The ensemble performed at the Stratford Festival in 1956.
Symonds' Concerto Grosso for Jazz Quintet was performed in 1963 by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Ron Collier Jazz Quintet.[https://newspaperarchive.com/winnipeg-free-press-jan-04-1963-p-11/ "A Question Of Terms"]. Winnipeg Free Press, via Newspaper Archives. 4 January 1963 – Page 11 In 1967 the orchestra performed his Democratic Concerto along with the Fred Stone Quartet.[https://newspaperarchive.com/winnipeg-free-press-dec-15-1967-p-12/ "WSO And Jazz Quartet Have A Session"]. Winnipeg Free Press , via Newspaper Archives. 15 December 1967 – Page 12[https://newspaperarchive.com/winnipeg-tribune-jan-04-1963-p-14/ "When hipsters meet symphony you get sounds"]. Winnipeg Tribune, via Newspaper Archives. 4 January 1963 – Page 14
In 1968 Symonds travelled about rural Canada on a fellowship from the Canada Council, writing and composing; his work became a 13-part radio series titled Travelling Big Lonely.Joel Flegler. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Rpo6AAAAMAAJ Fanfare]. Vol. 11, Issues 1-2. J. Flegler; 1987. p. 387.
Symonds' composition "A Gift of Thanksgiving" was performed in 1980 by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.[https://newspaperarchive.com/medicine-hat-news-sep-11-1980-p-23/ "Symonds composition a hit"]. Medicine Hat News, via Newspaper Archives. 11 September 1980 – Page 23 In 1987 his work was included on the National Arts Centre Orchestra recording Canadian Classics Vol. 2.[https://books.google.com/books?id=9kE9AQAAIAAJ Music Magazine]. Vol. 10-11. Barrett & Colgrass; 1987. p. 42-43.
Selected compositions
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Symonds, Norman}}
Category:Canadian clarinetists
Category:Canadian male composers
Category:Canadian male saxophonists
Category:The Royal Conservatory of Music alumni
Category:20th-century Canadian composers
Category:20th-century Canadian saxophonists
Category:20th-century Canadian male musicians