Canadian Horn Player Robert Creech, born September 26, 1928, in Victoria B.C has died, December 20, 2019 in Quilty, Ireland at age 91.
Robert served as principal horn with numerous orchestras across Canada, including the Victoria Symphony, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Stratford Festival Orchestra, and the CBC Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Robert was passionate about sharing his love of music with young people. He taught on the music faculty of the University of British Columbia, was instrumental in establishing the Vancouver Academy of Music, and founded the music department of Vancouver Community College. From 1970-1985 Robert was Artistic and Executive Director of the Courtenay Youth Music Centre on Vancouver Island.
In 1985 the family moved to London, Ontario where Robert was a professor at the University of Western Ontario.
Robert and his wife Nancy moved to Toronto in 1989 where Robert served as Vice-Principal of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In 1991 they moved to England when Robert was appointed the Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society.
In 1994 Robert and Nancy moved to Ireland where he ran an international arts consultancy, and was Executive Director of Summer Music on the Shannon/Summer Music in Galway. Vowing never to retire, Robert spent his last few years working on the establishment of an archive of his life work at the University of Victoria.
Robert is survived by his wife Nancy, his sister Betty, his daughters Julia Elliot Michaud (Luc), Andrea Creech, Pamela McNair, and Erica Evans (Dominic Arnell), and by his step-son Paul Spalding. He will be greatly missed by his much-loved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is pre-deceased by his brother Richard.
A funeral will be held in Shannon, Ireland this weekend. A memorial celebration will be held in Victoria, B.C. in spring 2020.
In recognition of Robert’s love and passion for music education, his family is asking for a donation to a charity of your choice, dedicated to the support of music for young people.
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