Samuel J. Dolin

Samuel Dolin began his musical studies in Montréal before he attended the Toronto Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto. After graduation, he first worked in Ontario as a supervisor of music instructions in schools. From 1945 he taught at the Toronto Conservatory and concurrently continued his studies with John Weinzweig. Dolin was particularly successful as a composition teacher; from his school emerged many successful composers with a wide range of styles.

In 1966 Dolin founded the RCMT Electronic Music Studio at his conservatory, which had been renamed Royal Conservatory. In 1984 he became the founding artistic director of the Canadian Contemporary Music Workshop. Dolin’s compositions ranged from traditional serenades for strings to multimedia projects. His later works, however, showed a preference for small ensembles. He was also active in various organizations, for instance as president of the Canadian League of Composers. He remained a teacher at the Royal Conservatory until 2001. His daughter Elizabeth (*1959) became a well-known cellist who also premiered works by her father.

In 1952 Samuel Dolin participated with the above mentioned early Serenade for Strings in Memory of Albert Whitehead, with the movements Allegro marcato, Andante non troppo and Rondo (Presto). The 17-minute long work was composed in 1951 in memory of the late British philosopher and mathematician Albert Whitehead (1861-1947).