Philip May passed away on Sunday, October 13, at AgeCare Glenmore, Calgary, at the age of 85 years. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of sixty years, Eleanor Ritcey May, his son, Peter, daughter Catherine, and son-in-law Matthew Andrews; also by his grandchildren, Cole Lord May and Joseph Andrews; as well as his siblings, Dorothy Griffiths, Arthur, David and Colin May and their families.
Philip was born in Darlington, England, and received his formal musical training at the Royal College of Music in London. He had an active career in concert and opera in England, including a period of time with Benjamin Britten’s English Opera Group, before settling in Canada in 1966, where he joined the Faculty of Music at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, teaching voice and acting as Director of Dalhousie Opera. In 1976 he moved to a similar position at the University of Regina, in Saskatchewan.
In addition to his university responsibilities he maintained an active performing career in opera, concert, and oratorio, in many parts of Canada and on CBC Radio. For several years he was a member of the teaching faculty at the Banff School of Fine Arts. He and Eleanor retired from the University of Regina in 1996 to Calgary, Alberta, where until recently they maintained a teaching studio.
Philip will be remembered as one of Canada’s leading teachers of classical singing and voice production. His main interests were vocal mechanics and the science of the vocal instrument. He was passionate about and supportive of the role of the arts in our society. In his role as a teacher and director, he supported and encouraged countless performers, both at the professional and community levels. Philip was a man, who, from relatively humble beginnings and through sheer determination and hard work, followed his talent and heart to excel at the craft of music, then sharing his vast accumulated knowledge with subsequent generations.
Outside of his professional career, he became, in his retirement, a wonderful painter, meticulously and ardently representing the landscapes of his adopted home in western Canada and his birthplace in northeast England.
The family will hold a private celebration of life in the coming months.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity or the arts organization of your choice.
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