Fonds 91 - George Brough fonds

George Brough was a pianist, organist, harpsichordist, and opera coach based in Toronto, Ontario for most of his professional career. Born February 25, 1918 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England, he attended the Royal College of Music in London, England (1937-1940), where he studied with Kendall Taylor (piano) and George Thalben-Ball (organ). He later received a Doctor of Music (DMus) from Oxford University (1943).

Brough moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia in November 1945 where he was the organist and choirmaster at the All Saints Cathedral and taught at the Halifax Conservatory (now the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts). In 1947, he moved to Toronto at the suggestion of Sir Ernest MacMillan, where he started as an examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Brough joined the CBC Opera Company in 1949, where he was later a coach and assistant conductor. He also worked at the Vancouver International Festival (1958-1961); was accompanist and opera coach during the summer for the Banff School of Fine Arts (1965-2005); was assistant conductor and accompanist for the Canadian Opera Company for several decades, beginning in 1958; and was opera coach at the University of Toronto (1959-1991).

Brough was a rehearsal pianist with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir; performed in concerts with them and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as a keyboardist; and was harpsichordist for the Chamber Players of Toronto. Throughout his career he accompanied numerous musicians including students at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto Faculty of Music and various professional musicians, including Heinz Holliger, Gervase de Peyer, Henri Temianka, Bernard Turgeon, and Jon Vickers.

Brough passed away in Toronto on September 15, 2015.