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Gardiner, Mary Rutherford
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Mary Elizabeth Gardiner (nee Rutherford) was a composer, pianist, and music and English teacher based in Toronto, Ontario. She received her her ARCT in Piano Performance (1953) and Bachelor of Arts Honours (Music) degree from the University of Toronto (1954), where she studied piano with Elsie Bennett. After teaching secondary school music and English for a number of years, she stopped to pursue a musical career as a recitalist, accompanist, private music teacher, and composer.
At this time, she studied composition with Samuel Dolin (1975-1979). Her compositions include a piano concerto and music for solo piano, voice and piano, and various chamber ensembles. She received the inaugural Calgary Art Song Prize for her piece "A Spider's Story."
Gardiner was a founding member and President of the Association of Canadian Women Composers. She also served as President of the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects, was on the Council of the Ontario Region and National Board of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC), and was a member of the Ontario Music Teachers' Association.
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Created November 2025. Last updated January 2026.
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Mary Gardiner fonds. "Biographical materials." University of Toronto Music Library, OTUFM 94-C.