David Palmer was born on April 7, 1944 and grew up in Victoria, BC where he studied organ with Graham Steed and Richard Proudman as a teenager. A Past-President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (1988-1990), he was awarded the RCCO Fellowship (honoris causa) in 1991 and received the RCCO Distinguished Service Award in 2015. He exemplified the aims and objectives of the organization and upheld its ethical code in all he did. Over his distinguished career, he attained a level of prominence that is truly exceptional, and within the RCCO, has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, passion and commitment. David led - he taught - he motivated, and
he inspired!
David became organist at All Saints’ Anglican Church in July 1968, commuting to Windsor from Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was entering the final year of his M.Mus. degree at the University of Michigan, studying with Robert Glasgow who himself was a student of Harold Gleason and Catherine Crozier. After graduation, David moved to Windsor in the summer of 1969 and, shortly thereafter, took it upon himself to revitalize an interest in the organ, build a core of young people in organ studies and promote awareness of quality organ and choral music through public events and recitals.
The group informally structured itself as an RCCO ‘Student Centre’, which stayed together from 1976 to 1980. Other activities involving members of the student centre included: participating annually in organ conferences at the University of Michigan; social ‘get togethers’ and dinners to listen to organ music and discuss organ playing; an organ crawl to London, Ontario; a Children’s Choir workshop; several Christmas Carol Services with choirs from local churches; anthem-reading sessions; panel discussions on such topics as wedding and funeral music and Church Music Today- Entertainment or Worship?; lectures on rehearsal techniques; and a unique organ recital with students on other instruments, namely flute, violin, oboe and trumpet. Participation and attendance in these numerous activities ranged from a handful of interested persons to enthusiastic audiences of well over 300.
David cultivated a very fertile and rich foundation and on February 15, 1980, chaired a grassroots meeting to “discuss the future of the RCCO in Windsor and the possibility of establishing an Adult Centre the following year”. Although the Windsor Centre of the RCCO was only officially recognized in 1982 with David as its first President until 1984, it already hosted an RCCO Convention in 1988. Another one of David’s dreams was to launch a Student Scholarship program. The first auditions were in 1989, and two students were successful in meeting the requirements to be awarded a scholarship for organ studies. Since that time, over 75 beginning organ students received scholarships. David was indeed a mentor to the Centre’s various organ teachers and instructed just over half of all of the students.
Not only did David serve as National President of the RCCO from 1988 to 1990, but from 2005 to 2012 he again was at the helm of the Windsor Centre, and until his passing, its Honorary President. For several years, he was also the Centre’s Membership Convener and maintained an interest in all members’ activities. In 2012-13, he served as Travelling Clinician for the RCCO, giving recitals and workshops in Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Hamilton and the Grey-Bruce Centre. In June 2014, David was appointed the RCCO’s Regional Director for Western Ontario providing support and council to the London, Grey-Bruce, Chatham, Stratford and Windsor Centres.
It is impossible to separate David’s influence in the history of the RCCO Windsor Centre from his equally significant role in the music and worship community at large and the University of Windsor specifically. Upon his retirement after 40 years on the Faculty of the University’s School of Music (6 years of which he was its Director), five of David’s former students (Ronald Fox, Richard Hansen, Joel Hastings, Robert Jones, and Michael Ricketts) paid the “Professor” the ultimate tribute by performing an Organ Recital in his honour at All Saint’s Anglican Church.
Moreover, David was known nationally and internationally as an outstanding organist, not only performing from coast to coast in Canada, but also giving recitals in such American centres as San Francisco, Washington and New York. In Europe, he played in England, France and Germany, including concerts in the Cathedrals of Chartres and Notre Dame in Paris. CBC Radio broadcast nationally many of his performances, both solos and appearances with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. He was a judge for several organ playing competitions, among them the RCCO Nationals, and the semi-final round of the Second Calgary International Organ Festival.
David developed a specialty in the keyboard music of Olivier Messiaen. In the spring of 1981, he studied with the composer’s wife, Yvonne Loriod, concentrating on excerpts from Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus and Catalogue d’Oiseaux. He presented many workshops and lectures and wrote several articles on aspects of Messiaen’s music, including for the journal The Diapason. In October 1990, he gave the first Canadian performance of Livre du Saint Sacrement at St. James’ Cathedral in Toronto, broadcast on CBC-FM, and was invited to perform excerpts of the work at the Fifth International Congress of Organists in Montreal in July 1993. His CD of Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, recorded in the Cathedral-Basilica Mary Queen of the World in Montreal, was released in 1999. In 2006, Canadian Music Centre released his CD, Canadian Organ Showcase, recorded in the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary, Alberta. Double Exposure, a CD of music for organ and piano with colleague Gregory Butler, recorded in Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto, appeared in 2008. He retired from All Saint’s Anglican Church in Windsor after 52 years (1968-2020) and was a member of Trio Abelia (French horn, oboe and piano) which performed in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, as well as in Western and Eastern Canada.
David and his wife Lonnie moved back to Victoria, BC in 2021. David happily served in various functions on the executive of the RCCO Victoria Centre until his resignation as Centre President in July 2024. He enjoyed teaching organ privately and, along with Dr. Mark McDonald, worked effortlessly with students of the Victoria Centre Organ Studio and at masterclasses held at Victoria’s Christ Church Cathedral. After subbing at various churches around the Capital Re gional District, David assumed the post of organist and choirmaster at St. Michael and All Angels Church, where he remained until his death on August 18, 2024. He is predeceased by his first wife, Betty, a brother and his parents. David is survived by his wife, Alonna (Lonnie) of 35 years, 3 siblings, 6 children, 10 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations to the RCCO Victoria Centre would be appreciated.
This tribute was compiled by Susanne Reul-Zastre & Sandra Fletcher (Victoria RCCO Centre), Paul Wharram (Windsor RCCO Centre), and Lonnie Palmer in memory of David.
