Oskar Morawetz

Canadian composer and teacher Oskar Morawetz was born into a Jewish family in Světlá nad Sázavou in Bohemia on 17 January 1917. He studied in Prague, Vienna and Paris.

He moved to Canada in 1940 and taught at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto from 1946 and then at Toronto University (1952-82).

He was commissioned by many performers, including Jeanne Baxtresser, James Campbell, Angela Hewitt, Dorothy Maynor, the Orford String Quartet and Mstislav Rostropovich.

His orchestral works have been programmed extensively in Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America.

He was much honoured for his contribution to Canadian music, particularly for his work, From the Diary of Anne Frank (1970), and for his 1975 Harp Concerto.

Oskar Morawetz died in Toronto on 13 June 2007, aged ninety.

Further information: www.oskarmorawetz.com

 

A selection of articles about Oskar Morawetz

Morawetz - A classical music word search puzzle by Allan Rae

CD Spotlight. Inherent Sincerity - Violin and piano music by Oskar Morawetz, heard by the late Howard Smith. 'In committed, firmly etched performances, violinist Jasper Wood with pianist David Riley present a strong case for home listeners keen to explore unfamiliar violin music of the recent past.'