Louise Burchell

Burchell, Louise

(Henriette) Louise Burchell. Organist, teacher, composer, b Sydney, NS, 13 May 1882, d Falmouth, NS, 6 Jan 1962; ARCM, LTCL, B MUS (Oxford) 1908, MA (Radcliffe) 1929. She studied organ, piano, and theory with Peter LeSueur in St John's, Nfld, and then had special coaching in London from C.W. Pearce of the TCL. In 1908 she was the first woman from the dominions to qualify for a B MUS from Oxford University. She was assistant director and teacher of organ and theory 1915-19 at the Mount Allison Cons (Mount Allison University) and taught subsequently at Dakota Wesleyan U and Milwaukee-Downer College, and 1934-42 at the Halifax Cons (Maritime Conservatory of Music). Organist in many churches, she held her final post at Trinity United Church in Windsor, NS, resigning in July 1953. She composed many vocal pieces on sacred subjects, as well as chamber and orchestral works. A list of her compositions, some of which received CBC performances, is published in the Catalogue of Canadian Composers. The Public Archives of Nova Scotia hold a file of her personal papers.