The Halifax Conservatory of Music (HCM) was a Canadian

music conservatory A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger i ...

in Halifax,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

that offered courses in

higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

during the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century. In 1954 the HCM merged with the Maritime Academy of Music to form the Maritime Conservatory of Music (now

Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts The Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts (the Conservatory) is a Canadian performing arts school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that offers courses in higher education in music, dance, and theatre. It is the largest and the oldest (1887) of such orga ...

History

Founded in 1887 by Reverend Robert Laing and the Halifax Ladies' College (HLC), the HCM drew students from across the Maritime provinces.

Organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

Charles Henry Porter served as the school's first director and under his leadership the school grew to a total of 240 students by 1890. Felix Heink, the brother of

Ernestine Schumann-Heink Ernestine Schumann-Heink (15 June 186117 November 1936) was a Bohemian-born Austrian-American operatic dramatic contralto of German Bohemian descent. She was noted for the flexibility and wide range of her voice. Heink and Schumann were her two ...

's husband, succeeded Porter as director in 1900. He in turn was succeeded a year later by Percy Gordon. In 1898, the HCM developed a partnership with

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...

through which the conservatory granted two-year licentiate diplomas and four-year

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

degrees. It also maintained its connection with Halifax Ladies' College until 1952. In 1906 organist and

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

Harry Dean succeeded Gordon as director. Disputes with the school's board caused him to leave the school in 1934 to form the Maritime Academy of Music (MAM), taking many of the HCM's teachers and students with him. Ifan Williams was appointed director after Dean left, holding that position for the remainder of the school's history. In 1954 the HCM bought the assets of the MAM and the two schools merged to form the Maritime Conservatory of Music.

Faculty

Max Weil Max Weil (November 21, 1869 — February 18, 1944) was an American violinist, conductor, composer, and music educator. He is chiefly remembered for his contributions to music in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. Born and raised in Phi ...

, head of the violin faculty from 1893-1900

References

{{authority control Universities and colleges established in 1887 Educational institutions disestablished in 1954 Music schools in Canada Schools in Halifax, Nova Scotia 1887 establishments in Nova Scotia 1954 disestablishments in Nova Scotia Dalhousie University Universities and colleges disestablished in the 20th century Defunct universities and colleges in Nova Scotia