Phillips Motley

Motley, Phillips

Phillips (Carey) Motley. Organist-choirmaster, conductor, b Montreal 12 Jul 1912; BA (McGill) 1934, LRSM 1935, B MUS (Toronto) 1939, FRCCO 1940. Studies in Montreal with R.F.L. Picard and Alfred Whitehead preceded appointments there as organist-choirmaster at various churches: St Jude's Anglican in 1934, First Baptist 1935-47, St Andrew's United 1948-56, and St Andrew and St Paul 1956-72; and at the Temple Emmanu-El 1948-56. He moved to the Church of the Ascension in 1972 and returned to First Baptist in 1990. Since the mid-1930s Motley has given more than 300 organ recitals, his playing marked by clarity, precision, and careful attention to phrasing. He has conducted many choral and hymn festivals in Montreal, usually under the auspices of the RCCO. He was a member of the committee which produced the Baptist Hymnal ([Brantford, Ont] 1973) and has served on the music committee of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Liturgical Commission.