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Applebaum, Louis

Composer/conductor born in Toronto, Ontario, April 3, 1918, died in Toronto April 20, 2000.

He had an effect on virtually the entire arts community of this country for being co-chairman, with Jacques Hébert in 1982, of the Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee which ultimately produced the so-called Applebert report on Canadian culture that was to be used by governments as both a tool and a weapon in work with the arts community on funding priorities.

He studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music, the University of Toronto and in New York before he began to score movies in Hollywood. He returned to Canada in 1949 eventually setting up the music wing of the Stratford Festival. He was the composer of the fanfare which can be heard prior to every performance in the Festival theatre. He wrote and conducted music for over 75 of the company's productions including, 1999's School for Scandal and Julius Caesar and A Man For All Seasons (both in 1998). His opera (with Mavor Moore) Erehwon, was recently performed by Victoria Opera in March, 2000.

He composed several hundred radio, film and television scores, won Gemini and Genie Awards and was nominated for the Academy Award.

He was executive-director of the Ontario Arts Council from 1970-1979 and became the vice-president of Composers, Authors and Publishers Association in 1985. He was also a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Profile by Gaetan Charlebois. Additional information from Lindy Cooksey and Colin Plant.

Last updated 2020-02-20