The man who brought Boulez to Halifax
UncategorizedWe have been notified of the death of Chris Wilcox, founder and leader for 40 years of Scotia Festival of Music, which had a huge influence on chamber music performance and education in North America.
Chris died in Halifax on Tuesday, aged 82.
As an impresario he brought Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble Intercontemporain to Halifax in 1991, as well as Philip Glass Oliver Knussen, Joan Tower, Peteris Vasks and R. Murray Schaffer.
All roads lead to Boulez.
I was at the ’91 Scotia Festival that Chris Wilcox put together and it was an extraordinary event. Although Boulez was the main focus, there were also musicians from major North American orchestras who performed in the student orchestra. Boulez led several concerts and gave masterclasses to conductors. I still remember the wild closing concert program:
Bartok: Miraculous Mandarin (complete)
Debussy: La Mer
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Boulez was completely invested in all the goings on at the festival from attending concerts he wasn’t involved in to eating with students in the cafeteria. He made himself available to any student who wanted to meet with him or just ask a question. I was just out of grad school when I attended, it made a strong impression on me, and I still have fond memories of the festival 32 years later.
Rest in peace Chris Wilcox and thank you.
Halifax, Nova Scotia?
Certainly wasn’t to the British Halifax in West Yorkshire!