Hugh McLean (organist)

Hugh John McLean (5 January 1930 - 30 July 2017 was a Canadian organist, choirmaster, pianist, harpsichordist, administrator, teacher, musicologist, composer, and editor. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, McLean was a boy chorister at All Saint's Anglican Church in Winnipeg. While in Winnipeg, he studied piano and organ with Russell Standing for ten years, then studied organ for two years with Hugh Bancroft in Vancouver, before taking his first position as organist at St. Luke's Anglican Church, Winnipeg, age 15. He was first heard in recital, as an organist, on the CBC in 1947.

In 1949, McLean traveled to the Royal College of Music, England on an organ scholarship. His teachers were Arthur Benjamin (piano), Sir William H. Harris (organ), and W.S. Lloyd Webber (composition). From 1951 to 1956, he was the first Canadian to be named Mann Organ Scholar at King's College Chapel, Cambridge, under the supervision of Boris Ord, and later David Willcocks (who had preceded him as Organ Scholar). He made his London debut in 1955 with Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, in the premiere performance of Malcolm Arnold's Organ Concerto; a Royal Command Concert in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Festival Hall.

Upon his return to Vancouver, McLean served as organist-choirmaster at Ryerson United Church 1957-73, founded and conducted the Vancouver Cantata Singers, founded the Hugh McLean Consort - a Baroque music instrumental ensemble, and founded the CBC Vancouver Singers. He taught 1967-69 at the University of Victoria and 1969-73 at the University of British Columbia. From 1973-1980, he served as dean of the Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario (now Western University), where he continued to teach organ, harpsichord, and music history. He was also organist and choirmaster at the Church of Saint John the Evangelist during his time in London, collaborating with local organ builder Gabriel Kney in the installation of the parish's Kney tracker organ. In 1995 he retired as professor emeritus, and became Minister of Music at All Saints Episcopal Church, Winter Park, Florida. He retired as Winter Park's Minister of Music in 2010.

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