Fonds 1747 - Ezra Schabas fonds

Identity area

Reference code

UTA 1747

Title

Ezra Schabas fonds

Date(s)

  • 1949-2008 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

13.5 m of textual and graphic records, sound recordings, moving images and publications (40 boxes)

Context area

Name of creator

(1924-2020)

Biographical history

Prof. Ezra Schabas was born in New York and received his Diploma in Clarinet (1943) and Bachelor of Science (1948) from the Juillard School. In 1949, he received his Master of Arts from Columbia University. He also studied at the Conservatoire de Nancy, and the Fontainebleau School for the Arts in France between 1945 and 1950. After several appointments at American universities (1948-1952), he joined the staff of the Royal Conservatory of Music as Director of Concerts and Publicity where he arranged concerts for leading young artists across Canada. During the 1950s he was active as a clarinetist and conductor and managed music at the Stratford Festival (1958 and 1961). In 1960 he joined the staff of the Faculty of Music as Special Lecturer, becoming Associate Professor in 1961 and Professor in 1968. From 1978 to 1983, he was Principal of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Prof. Schabas retired as Professor Emeritus in 1985. Prof. Ezra Schabas passed away on October 12, 2020 at the age of 96.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds documents Prof. Schabas' forty year career as teacher, administrator, and consultant with the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, and his numerous external activities as consultant, juror, examiner, and as member in various professional and government organizations devoted to the promotion of the education and professional development of musicians in Canada and abroad.

The arrangement of this accession reflects Prof. Schabas' long association with the Royal Conservatory of Music and is divided into two Sous Fonds:
-1: Royal Conservatory of Music
-2: Ezra Schabas Personal records

A later accession (B2008-0031, now described as Series 10 within Sous-fonds 2) is an accrual to the Ezra Schabas fonds. It consists of an alphabetical file series that documents most facets of Prof. Ezra Schabas’ career. While there are a few early records, most files document his activities after his retirement from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, including: involvement in associations and music groups, publishing and research endeavours including his book Sir Ernest MacMillan: The Importance of Being Canadian; evaluation reports of music programs throughout Canada; performances and public appearances; travels; workshops and talks. The files contain a variety of documents including correspondence, minutes, agenda, papers, talks, reviews, evaluation reports, scripts, grant applications and memorabilia. 1953-2007 (predominant 1985-2002)

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Selected records in Sous-fonds 2, Series 4, Subseries 5 are restricted. All other records are open.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

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Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Researchers are also referred to records of the Royal Conservatory of Music in the University Archives.

Additional records relating to Theodore Thomas and his most recent publication "Sir Ernest MacMillan: the importance of being Canadian" (University of Toronto Press, 1994) will also be found in the Faculty of Music Library, University of Toronto.

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Accession

B1996-0013

Accession

B2008-0031

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Added to AtoM by Karen Suurtamm, October 2015

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