Leo Marchildon (born May 30, 1962) is a Canadian organist,[1][2] music director, film/theatre music composer and producer based in Prince Edward Island.
Leo Marchildon | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 30, 1962 |
Early life and education edit
Marchildon was born in Toronto, Ontario. He has French-Canadian ancestry.
Career edit
Marchildon's first commercial album, To Each is Given, based on inspirational poetry, was released in 1998. He and co-writer Adam-Michael James teamed up to create the stage musical The Nine Lives of L.M. Montgomery based upon the life of the Canadian author.[3]
In 2014 Marchildon premiered a symphonic tribute to Canada entitled "Canada, Our Dear Home", a 20-minute work for voice and orchestra celebrating the various cultural influences and indigenous Island fiddle music which helped to shape and support PEI's role as the Birthplace of Confederation. In 2016 he was hired to compose underscore music for the Watermark Theatre summer productions of "The Glass Menagerie" and "Blithe Spirit" in Rustico, PEI, and again in 2018 for their production of "Dial M for Murder".[4]
Marchildon has performed as a guest soloist with the PEI Symphony.[2] In 2017 he was commissioned by them to compose part of the Cantata for Canada 150; his "Song of a Tree", based on a poem by Madison Lockman, premiered in November of that year at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown.
Marchildon also creates musical arrangements for choirs and soloists and is music director/organist for St. Dunstan's Basilica in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as well as music director for the Diocese of Charlottetown.[5][6] He was also conductor for the Strathgartney Chamber Orchestra,[7] which later became PEI Pops!.
References edit
- ^ "Atlantic Canada Blown Away by BYU-Idaho Sinfonietta". Mormon Newsroom, 10 May 2014 - Halifax, Nova Scotia
- ^ a b "Above and beyond: Review of PEI Symphony". The Buzz, by Ivy Wigmore
- ^ Benjamin Lefebvre (2014). The L.M. Montgomery Reader: Volume Two: A Critical Heritage. University of Toronto Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-4426-4492-2.
- ^ "P.E.I. composer back at Watermark Theatre". The Guardian, Jun 28, 2018
- ^ "Organ recitals offer treat to listeners". PEI Canada, Melissa Heald, Aug 10, 2016
- ^ "Basilica Organ - Music Director/Organist Leo Marchildon". CBC Prince Edward Island, January 18, 2013
- ^ "'I'm thinking of calling us the P.E.I. Pops': Strathgartney Chamber Orchestra eyes new direction". CBC News, June 02, 2017