It is with great regret that we have learned the decease of Otto Jaochim, one of Canada’s pioneer composers of aleatoric and electroacoustic music. Solo violist for the OSM, the McGill Chamber Orchestra and the Montreal String Quartet in the 1950s, he started teaching at the McGill Conservatory and the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal in 1956. In the mid ‘50s, he created the first private electroacoustic music studio in the country, which enabled him, among other things, to write Katimavik, the first Canadian piece composed entirely for electronic sounds. This piece was presented during Expo 67 in the Canadian pavilion and was played again this year at the event “Joachim and Tremblay: Pioneers of Electronic Music” organized by Circuit in keeping with the Homage Series / Gilles Tremblay (2009-10). Mr. Joachim’s works have been played by many orchestras and ensembles, including the SMCQ which commissioned Uraufführung (1977) for 13 instruments and live electroacoustic sounds, and Stacheldraht (1994) for 13 instruments and speaker. Mr. Joachim would have celebrated his 100th birthday in October. We join the arts community and offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Joachim’s family and friends.
- See the article in Le Devoir
- See the article in Cyberpresse.ca
- See the article in The Gazette
- See the post by Françoise Davoine (blogue, Espace classique)
News written by Claire Cavanagh and posted on Tuesday, August 3, 2010.