Alfred Kunz (composer)
Alfred Kunz | |
---|---|
Birth name | Alfred Leopold Kunz |
Born | Neudorf, Saskatchewan | May 26, 1929
Died | January 16, 2019 Kitchener, Ontario | (aged 89)
Occupation(s) | Composer, conductor |
Alfred Leopold Kunz (26 May 1929 – 16 January 2019)
Early life
Kunzwas born in Neudorf, Saskatchewan, and grew up in this rural area.
Career
Kunz began teaching music in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1955.[1] In 1959, he founded the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Orchestra and Choir.[1] He worked at several factory jobs before being hired as director of music at the University of Waterloo, a position he held for fifteen years.
In 1965, Kunz became the founding conductor of the Concordia Club Choir, and continued in this position until 2013.[4] He directed the Waterloo Regional Police Male Chorus from 1973 to 1984. In 1985 he founded the Millennium Choir, and served as its director until 2015.[4][5]
Throughout his career Kunz composed hundreds of musical works, many for unaccompanied choir.[6][7] He received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Waterloo on June 14, 2001.[2]
Kunz resided in New Hamburg near Baden, Ontario; he continued to organize community choral activities[5] until his health deteriorated in 2017. He died on January 16, 2019, following a heart illness.[4] His papers have been archived at the Waterloo University library.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d Kemp, Walter H. "Alfred Kunz". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ a b "Storied piano free to good home: must love music and tradition". Guelph Mercury, Aug 17, 2014 by Valerie Hill.
- ^ "Choral conductor hangs up his baton after a six decade career". Waterloo Region Record, May 21, 2015 by Valerie Hill
- ^ a b c "Choral conductor and composer Alfred Kunz dies at 89". Waterloo Region Record, Jan 16, 2019
- ^ a b "Forest Heights Community Association choir to put on its first concert". by Helen Hall, Kitchener Citizen, November 5, 2015
- ^ "The Importance of Being Alfred". Echo Germanica, November 2010 - Nr. 11. by Sybille Forster-Rentmeister.
- ISBN 978-1-57467-378-4. p. 202.
- ^ "Alfred Kunz fons". Waterloo University.