Terence Gibbs

Gibbs, Terence

Terence Gibbs. Producer, b London 10 Jan 1921, d Toronto 10 Mar 1973. After service in World War II with the British army in India, he studied piano, composition, and theory at the GSM, London, then joined Decca Records as assistant artist manager. Assigned to the development of Decca's classical-music catalogue, he engaged and recorded several leading European orchestras. He moved to Canada in 1948 as a music producer for CBC Toronto. He helped to develop the CBC's major radio series and was instrumental in the formation of the CBC Opera Company in 1948, the CBC Symphony Orchestra in 1952, and the CBC Talent Festival (1959-). He produced over 40 opera broadcasts (including the North American radio premiere of Britten's Peter Grimes) and was responsible for the CBC SO's weekly concerts and the recital series 'Distinguished Artists' until 1959, when he became assistant director of music. He returned to production in 1962, assuming responsibility for 'Audio' (heard on CJBC, Toronto), 'Continental Holiday' and 'Anthology'. Gibbs' talents, vivid imagination, and boundless enthusiasm found fertile soil in the CBC's increased activities on behalf of cultural development in the postwar years. He was instrumental, particularly, in introducing radio audiences to new works of English and Canadian composers.