Gordon Hallett

Hallett, Gordon

Gordon (Arnold) Hallett. Pianist, teacher, b Nanton, near Calgary, 28 Nov 1905, d Toronto, 10 Feb 1993; LTCM 1925. He took lessons as a child in Nanton with Leola Alexander, a former Paul Wells pupil, and at age 16 won the Alberta Piano Competition. He then studied 1922-5 at the TCM with Wells and Norah de Kresz. He joined the piano faculty there in 1925. He resumed study in 1934 with Mona Bates and, while performing 1936-42 as a duo-pianist with another Bates pupil, Clifford Poole, played 1941-2 in her Ten-Piano Ensemble. He did wartime service in army administration, as well as performing in Victory Bond concerts. He took advanced studies in 1946 in New York with Mieczyslaw Horszowski, made his solo debut 4 Nov 1948 at Eaton Auditorium, Toronto, and continued to perform until 1955. After that he concentrated on teaching. He also examined for the RCMT and conducted workshops for piano teachers across Canada. In 1982 a scholarship was established at the RCMT to honour him, and he continued to teach there until the 1990s. His pupils included Norma Beecroft, Cora Sumberg, Ralph Fraser, Leon Major, and Mari-Elizabeth Morgen. He was president of the ORMTA 1962-3.

See also Piano teams.