James Frederick Burchill

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 2 August 1936, the elder son of the late Professor George Herbert Burchill and the late Winnifred Cunningham Burchill and the brother of Judith and Jonathan and the late Jane, James Burchill attended LeMarchant Street School, Cornwallis Junior High School and Queen Elisabeth High School. A chorister at the Cathedral Church of All Saints under Maitland Farmer, his studies in music theory, piano and organ with Murray Vanderburgh led to the diplomas of LTCL and ARCT as well as scholarships at the Halifax Music Festival and two medals from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. He completed the B.A. from King’s College in 1958 and while a student there was organist at the College Chapel followed by four years as organist at St Mark’s Church. Two years of study at the University of Toronto, while also an organ student of John Sidgwick and organist at St Stephen’s-in-the-Fields, earned him the Mus.Bac. and the FRCCO (first prize) in 1960 and he then studied for two years in England at the Royal School of Church Music with some additional work at the Royal College of Music. During this time he gained the FRCO(CHM), the Sawyer Prize, both from the Royal College of Organists, studied organ with Michael Brimer, Sir William Harris, Sydney Campbell and Derek Holman, played an RSCM service at Westminster Abbey, and was organist at All Saints’, Upper Norwood. These years of study were assisted by a Nova Scotia Talent Trust Scholarship.

Returning to Canada in 1962, James Burchill spent three years in Brockville, Ontario, where he was organist at St Peter’s Church, founder of the St Nicholas Singers, and the presenter of organ recitals including one at the National Convention of the Royal Canadian College of Organists in Kitchener in 1963. Then followed six years in Hamilton, Ontario, where he held appointments at Hillfield-Strathallan Colleges and the Royal Hamilton College of Music, which later made him an honorary fellow, as well as All Saints’ Church, St Patrick’s Church, and Westdale United Church, while his concert activity included that of organist for the Bach-Elgar Choir. Six years back in Halifax, where he succeeded Maitland Farmer as Cathedral organist, gave him as well the opportunity of teaching at Dalhousie University and the Maritime Conservatory of Music where he served as Head of the Theory 1Department, of continuing to give organ recitals, and, with the Cathedral choir, being responsible for the music at the College Service at the RCCO National Convention in Halifax in 1973.

Summer School study over many years had brought him the degrees of Mus.M. from Indiana University and M.A. from Eastman and Burchill next studied for two years at Eastman finishing his Ph.D.; he was also director of music at Christ Church, Rochester, formerly the Cathedral. He then enjoyed two years in Britain absorbing English Cathedral music.

Coming back to Nova Scotia he was for a time at Windsor United Church and then for eleven years at Central United Church, Moncton, New Brunswick, where he was also an active recitalist, accompanist for many choirs and teacher of organ at Mount Allison University in 1986-1987.

In the Summer of 1994 Dr Burchill was organist for the choir of St George’s Round Church, Halifax, as they sang daily services at Exeter and Worcester Cathedrals in England and later that year he took up again the appointment of organist and choirmaster at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, which he held until his retirement in 2006; he composed a Missa Brevis that was sung by the Cathedral choir and he also taught organ at Dalhousie University from 1996 to 2001.

Active in the Royal Canadian College of Organists, Dr Burchill was a member of National Council in the 1960s and again after his retirement, he frequently served as an examiner and he performed at further regional and national conventions in 1972, 1996, 1999, 2000, and 2002. In 2004 he was presented with a Distinguished Service Award by the Halifax Centre of the RCCO.

Perhaps noteworthy among his more than 370 concerts and recitals were the 6 CBC trans Canada broadcasts he played, mainly in the 1970s, the 56 choral concerts he accompanied during his years in Moncton, and the 125 organ recitals he performed in his final twelve years at the Cathedral. He was the organist for a number of premières including Four Improvisations on B-A-C-H for organ written for him by Lorne Betts.

Retirement brought James Burchill the opportunity for reading and travel including a four-month world cruise on the QEII and frequent visits to all the English Anglican Cathedrals. In 2009 he published a booklet on The Organs and Organists of the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, Nova Scotia, in November 2010 he was named Organist Emeritus of the Cathedral, in 2014-2015 he served as acting organist at the Cathedral, and from September 2016 he enjoyed a second apartment for half the year in Victoria, British Columbia.

In addition to his lifelong connection with, and support of, the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, Dr. Burchill was notable in his retirement for his great generosity as a sponsor of the music program at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia, and as a donor to the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts and the Nova Scotia Talent Trust. Both of the latter hand out annual awards in his name.

Thanks to Dr. Burchill’s financial support, many young people have undertaken educational projects that would not otherwise have been possible. In keeping with this, Dr. Burchill made special efforts to encourage the next generation of musicians in other ways, such as by gifting music scores and books from his personal collection, and by attending student recitals and concerts. He is remembered for his

kindness to students coming to him as a keyboard examiner over the years, and as a great supporter of his fellow organists. A loyal and caring friend and colleague, he will be missed.

A memorial service will be held at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax on Sunday, June 30 at 4:00pm, and memorial donations may be given to the Music Endowment Fund at the Cathedral, 1340 Cathedral Lane, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H2Z1.