The Life and Music of an Organist and Composer Dr. John William Bearder

Dr. John William Bearder

Section 50, Lot 63 SW

Born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England on December 26, 1873, John William Bearder was an organist and composer. His musical talents became apparent at a young age – he was only 12 when he held the first of many positions as organist-choirmaster in English churches.

Bearder’s family came to Canada and initially settled in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where Bearder was the organist at St Peter's Anglican Church from 1907 to 1913.

By 1913 he had relocated to Ottawa, where he served as the organist successively at All Saints Anglican Church and St Matthew's Anglican Church until 1950. Bearder was also an active member of the musical community, and served as the president of the Canadian College of Organists (later Royal Canadian College of Organists) from 1926 to 1927, and was chairman of the CCO Ottawa Centre for several years.

He also founded the Ottawa Collegiate Institute Orchestra in 1915 and served as the music director for the school from 1919 until 1938. Bearder supervised several other school orchestras until roughly 1950. He was an examiner from roughly 1928 to 1937 for Bishop's University and the Dominion College of Music.

During his long career, Bearder gave over 200 recitals in Ottawa churches, and composed and arranged many songs and choral pieces for church use and also wrote for violin and piano. Most of his works remain in manuscript, though his Communion Service in B Flat, Morning Service, and Evening Service were published by Woodward, London.

Several of his songs, including 'Canadian Born,' 'When I Survey,' and 'Be Thou My Vision,' received public performance. Bearder also dabbled in journalism, and for a time was music editor of the Ottawa Journal.

Bearder died in Toronto on May 6, 1958 at age 84.