14 Facts About Healey Willan

James Healey Willan was an English and Canadian organist and composer, and an influential teacher.

Healey Willan composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano.

Healey Willan continued at St Saviour's until 1895, when he began working as organist and choirmaster at several London-area churches.

Healey Willan earned, by examination in organ playing, harmony, counterpoint, history and orchestration, the ARCO in 1897 and fellowship in 1899.

The Anglo-Catholic Tractarian movement had led to an Anglican revival of plainsong, and in 1910 Healey Willan joined the London Gregorian Association.

Healey Willan became organist-choirmaster of Toronto's largest church, St Paul's, Bloor Street, whose rector, Canon Cody, was later to become Ontario provincial education minister and the chancellor of the University of Toronto.

In 1914, Healey Willan was appointed a lecturer and examiner in music at the university.

St Mary Magdalene's, under Healey Willan, became a North American mecca for choral and Anglican church musicians.

From 1937 to 1950, Healey Willan was University of Toronto Professor of Music and Organist and responsible for the music degree examinations.

Healey Willan was one of the first Canadian musicians to appear on a Canadian postage stamp.

Healey Willan set about creating a great many liturgical works for use in the church's services and on creating one of the few choirs in North America with expertise in singing unaccompanied music to a very high standard.

Healey Willan remained at St Mary Magdalene's until shortly before his death, last directing the choir in 1967.

In 1953, Healey Willan received a commission to write an anthem for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Giles Bryant Healey Willan Catalogue assigns numbers to Willan's works, eg B314, Rise up, my love, my fair one.