[This is a guest post by Claudine Domingue, director of public relations]

This week we were saddened to learn that COC subscriber Minnie McCurdy passed away recently after a short illness. Minnie was 104 years old. She was an accompanist for many aspiring opera singers during auditions for the newly formed Canadian Opera Company in its earliest days, attended the COC’s first performance, and continued her support of the opera from then on. Besides being one of the COC’s longest subscribers, we think that perhaps Minnie was also the COC’s oldest subscriber. Old in years, but retaining a youthful spirit. 

Born in 1907 in Fredericton, N.B., Minnie began her love of piano at the age of seven. She graduated with a Licentiate of Music from Dalhousie University in 1927, and continued at Halifax Ladies College, where she studied with Harry Dean. Minnie sailed to Europe in 1934 to visit her fiancé, Dr. Gordon Alexander McCurdy (Nov. 15, 1907—Nov. 22, 1944) who was completing his postgraduate studies in Pathology at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. They had planned on a visit only, but eloped the day after her arrival! 

A few years after moving back to Canada, Gordon died prematurely, so Minnie returned to Halifax and shortly afterwards accepted a teaching position in Edmonton for a brief period before moving to Toronto in 1946 where she accepted a position at the main branch of the Royal Conservatory of Music. There, she worked with Dr. Ernesto Vinci accompanying and coaching many of his students.

 

Minnie was constantly aiming to improve her piano technique and studied for some time with Canadian composer, songwriter, pianist and music educator, Ernie Seitz. Along with Canadian author, composer and pianist, Mary Syme, Minnie toured several Ontario towns and accompanied various artists as part of the McCool Tours, arranged by Major Brian McCool (assistant director of music for the department of education). To earn extra money, she also accepted an offer by Rex Battle (pianist, conductor, composer) to perform at the Gaslight Restaurant in Yorkville, accompanying young operatic singers. She taught piano and coached voice until her retirement at the age of 89.

Minnie recently attended the Saturday evening performance of Nixon in China at the Four Seasons Centre. She renewed her subscription for the COC’s 2011/2012 season, and when the renewal form was completed, commented, “Forever the optimist.”  

 

 

We are grateful for Minnie’s optimism and saddened that we will not see her at the COC this spring. We are also grateful for her longtime friend Steven Bickerstaffe sharing his memories with us. You can share your memories of Minnie too by following this link and clicking on Life Stories.
 
We’ll let Minnie have the final word. Here’s a link to a CBC Radio documentary from last fall in which Minnie’s irrepressible spirit shines through. She also tells a very funny story about how she lost her skirt during a performance of Tosca. Priceless!

Photos from top: 

1. Minnie as Cinderella, age 12

2. Minnie with Dr. Ernesto Vinci in Toronto, circa 1947

3. Minnie with her Mason and Hamlin piano, Victoria B.C., circa early 1940s

4. Minnie with longtime friend Steven Bikerstaffe, December 31, 2010