W.H. ANDERSON MEMORIAL TROPHY

The family of William Henry Anderson donated the W.H. Anderson Memorial Trophy to the Winnipeg Music Festival in 1955. This trophy was originally awarded in an annual competition of Boys' Choirs. Since 1962, it has been awarded for the most outstanding performance in a competition of vocalists, 16 years of age & under.

William Henry Anderson was born in England in 1882. As a young man he studied in Italy with Garcia and Battistini, well-known teachers of the day, developing a fine tenor voice. He was the recipient of two scholarships from the London Guild Hall of Music, later becoming the tenor soloist at St. Stephen's Walbrooke Church and at the well-known St. Paul's Cathedral of London.

In 1910 he came to Canada and settled in Winnipeg, where he immediately became part of the musical life of the city as a concert singer, teacher and choral conductor. Mr. Anderson took a great interest in the Winnipeg Music Festival and was chairman of the vocal and choral music selection committee from the Festival's inception until he died in 1955. In addition, he was a charter member of the Men's Music Club, which eventually became the Winnipeg Music Festival. Mr. Anderson composed and arranged approximately 300 pieces - both sacred and secular choral anthems, motets, solos and children's songs - which were published in Canada, England and the United States. His works have been performed internationally in Europe, Great Britain, Australia, the United States, Korea, Wales and Canada.

He was choral director of the C.B.C. Choristers from 1940 to 1955 and was responsible for compiling a C.B.C. choral library. He was choir leader and tenor soloist at both Central Congregational Church and at St. Andrew's River Heights United Church. He was founder and conductor of the Apollo Male Voice Choir, C.N.R. Mixed Choir and the original group known as the Oriana Singers. He taught singing for many years and adjudicated at music festivals in both Canada and the U.S.A. Students, including Gladys Whitehead and Morley Meredith, as well as daughter Evelyne Anderson Lamont, went on to careers as teachers, adjudicators and performers. He was the father of seven children.