Edgar Birch

Birch, Edgar

(John) Edgar Birch. Organist, conductor, teacher, b Reading, England, 25 Aug 1854, d Ottawa 23 Oct 1931. He was a chorister in the Chapel Royal and studied in London. He emigrated to Canada to teach at Trinity College School, Port Hope. From there he moved to Montreal as organist-choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral. In 1894 he was one of the founders of the Dominion College of Music. In 1895 he settled in Ottawa as principal of the Canadian College of Music and organist-choirmaster of All Saints Church. Birch also became the music directorof the Schubert Club that year and in 1897 organized the Ottawa Choral Society, conducting the latter's first concert 11 Jan 1898. He remained conductor until 1914. He was the theory and piano teacher of the young Eva Gauthier. Birch was an organist and teacher in Ottawa until his death.