Hugh McLEAN

McLEAN, Hugh
ORGANIST, OC, FRCCO, FRCM, FRSC
The musical world has lost a great organist, choirmaster and musicologist. Hugh John McLean passed away peacefully Sunday, July 30, 2017 in Naples, FL. He was born in Winnipeg, January 5, 1930. Hugh attended the Royal College of Music, England on an organ scholarship in 1949, the first Canadian to be Mann Organ Scholar at King's College Chapel, Cambridge, 1951-56. His London debut was a Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II in 1955 at the Royal Festival Hall and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Returning to Vancouver, Hugh served as organist and choirmaster at Ryerson United Church, 1957-73. He founded and conducted the Vancouver Cantata Singers, the Hugh McLean Consort and the CBC Vancouver Singers. He taught at the universities of Victoria (1967-69), British Columbia (1969-73) before joining the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario, London, 1973. While at Western (1973-1995) he served as Dean (1973-1980), taught organ, harpsichord and music history. With organ builder Gabriel Kney he consulted on the installation of the Roy Thompson Hall organ, Toronto, performing at the RTH inaugural Gala Concert, 1985. After a long and illustrious career in Canada, Hugh retired from Western to assume the post of Choirmaster/Organist at All Saints Episcopal Church, Winter Park, Florida, 1995-2010. Hugh was regularly heard on the CBC, the BBC, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Swiss Radio, and NHK Japan, and performed globally. A generous and loving person, Hugh is survived by his wife Florence Anne and their children, Ross Alan and Olivia Anne; his sons Robert Andreas, John Stuart, and Hugh Dundas (by his late wife Gunlaug Julie Gaberg); his grandchildren Alexander, Ian and Julie (Robert); Simon, Rhys, Finlay, Iain and Henry (Hugh Dundas); Shion Ross (Ross); his sisters Janet May (Bernard Smith), Kathleen Mary (Gerald Hill), and nieces and nephews Nancy, Donald, Douglas, and Marnie. Funeral services will be held at the Highlands United Church, 3255 Edgemont Blvd, North Vancouver at 1:00 p.m., August 13.