Lögberg-Heimskringla - 18.10.1996, Side 2

2 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 18, október 1996
by Shirley McCreedy
Many Icelandic families
carried musical traditions
to this country, with piano,
• strings and singing being most
evident. Ever since they emigrated to
Manitoba, choirs have flourished in
every Icelandíc community in the
province, right up to the present time.
A Choral Society, “The Harp,” was
formed in Winnipeg in 1880.
The Icelandic Choral Society
continued until the 1930s and the
Icelandic Male Voice Choir remained
active until well into the 1960s, by
which time they joined forces with the
Swedish Male Voice Choir. This joint
Icelandic/Swedish Choir subse-
quently invited women to join them,
becoming the Scandinavian Canadian
Choir around 1974. The Scandinavian
Canadian Choir still performs out of
the Nordic House of Canada in
Winnipeg.
Many individuals of Icelandic
background have been recognized for
their musical talent. Paul Bardal,
active in directing the Icelandic
Choral Society as well as the First
Lutheran Church choir helped found
the Winnipeg Male Voice Choir.
Halldor Thorolfson, a soloist, also
served as choir director. His son,
Frank Thorolfson, was a brilliant
pianist and musician; his daughter,
Pearl Johnson, sang with the First
Lutheran Church for 40 years as the
soprano soloist.
Steingrimur K. Hall, organist at
First Lutheran Church for
many years achieved fame as
a composer. Two cousins, Snjolaug
Sigurdson and Agnes Sigurdson,
made their piano debuts in Camegie
Hall in New York around 1950.
Snjolaug Sigurdson had an outstand-
ing career as a music teacher in Win-
nipeg, as well as being organist and
choir director at First Lutheran Church
for many years.
Alda Palsson won the Toronto
Conservatory of Music gold medal as
head of her class in 1945. Pearl
Palmason, violinist, also made her
debut in Camegie Hall and appeared
as soloist for the New York orchestra.
Palmason also led a string quartet, and
served as lead violinist for the Toronto
Symphony Orchestra for many years.
Elma Gislason, a singing teacher and
soloist, founded and directed the
Festival Opera Group, which was a
forerunner of the Manitoba Opera
Association Choir.
Bjorg Violet Isfeld, piano
teacher, church organist and
choir director, served as
president of the Canadian Federation
of Music Teachers’ Association, and
initiated Canada Music Week
(inaugurated in 1958). CanadaMusic
Week has been celebrated annually
across the country in November ever
since. Thelma Wilson, widely known
as a piano teacher, adjudicator and
accompanist, is also a past president
of the Canadian Federation of Music
Teachers’ Association. Three of her
children figure prominently today in
the field of music: Carlyle Wilson,
director of the Winnipeg Youth
Orchestra and music consultant of the
Winnipeg School Board; Kerrine
Wilson, piano teacher and church
organist; and Eric Wilson, a child
prodigy, who has achieved inter-
national fame.
Heather Sigurdson Ireland, solo-
ist, won a gold medal in singing, and
is known nationally for her recordings
of Icelandic songs. Heather currently
serves as Icelandic Consul for British
Columbia.
Helga Anderson, piano and
singing teacher, as well as organist and
choir director of several Winnipeg
churches, is noted for her choral
directing, both in Winnipeg schools
and in the wider community. She
prepared the Winnipeg Grads and the
Better Half choirs (graduates of the
Winnipeg Boys’ Choir and Winnipeg
Girls’ Choir respectively) to sing in
Icelandic. Helga led that choir on a
tour of Iceland. Subsequently, she
directed them in Israel. Her daughter,
Valdine Anderson, has succeeded as
a concert and opera singer in Europe,
performing internationally.
Thora Asgeirsson Dubois, from
Manitoba, is a concert pianist and on
the faculty of an American University.
Lilja Martin, a piano teacher of
renown, has three children who have
made music their professional careers,
and who are now concert and
symphony artists.
The list of musicians here is by no
means comprehensive, but will serve
as an indication of the many out-
standing Manitoba Icelanders who
have achievedfame locally, nationally
and internationally. □
Betel Home Foundation —
Building and Memorial Fund
W.J. Lamer, Selkirk, MB Estate of Eric E.M. Sigvaldson Marie Bowser, Selkirk, MB Emma & Fed Ulrich, Fraserwood, MB Krisi Straumfjord Bunger, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, USA $ 100.00 $15,000.00 $ 15.00 $ 100.00 $ 50.00
In Memory ofKatie Kozlowski: Peter Bjornson, Gimli, MB $ 100.00
In Memory of Verga Johnson: T. Brenmer, Winnipeg, MB $ 30.00
Emma & Fred Ulrich 60th Anniversary: Larry Ulrich, Winnipeg, MB $ 50.00
In Memory of Jonas & Veiga Bjomson, Leo Bjomson, Otto Bjornson, Rurik Bjornson, Siggie Bjomson and Carrie Hogg: Mrs. Bea de Keruzec, West Vancouver, BC $ 100.00
In Memory of Mary Pidruchny: Bernice & Dave Cullen and Barbara, Marion, Linda & family, Winnipeg, MB $ 15.00
In Memory ofSteve Hiebert: Joyce Dubchak, Gimli, MB $ 25.00
In Memory ofLawrence Stevens: Estate of J.S.L. Stevens $ 1,000.00
In Memory ofJoe Wilkinson: Emma Wilkinson & family, Winnipeg, MB $ 100.00

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