Marie Schilder

Schilder, Marie

Marie Schilder (b Rodker). Contralto of Finnish and Polish extraction, b London 26 Apr 1903. She studied voice with Anton Tausche 1926-8 in Vienna and 1929-33 at the Vienna Academy of Music and the Mozarteum in Salzburg. She won first place in the International Competition for Voice and Violin in Vienna in 1932. She became a specialist in Lieder, oratorio, and the vocal parts in chamber music. She appeared as soloist with the Royal Choral Society, London, in 1933, in recital in Brussels in 1934, as soloist with the Edinburgh and Newcastle Bach societies in 1938, and in recital on the BBC. She settled in Canada in 1939. She sang on CBC radio and appeared frequently 1946-56 with the Friends of Chamber Music and 1956-64 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She taught 1961-74 at the University of British Columbia. Her pupils included Lloyd Burritt and Ian Docherty. Her warm contralto voice reflected a strong personality and a dramatic flair, recalling the grand style of another era.