THOSE WHO INSPIRE CHURCH MUSIC IN CANADA

Honorary Fellowship -F.SCIM

Fellows of the Summer Institute of Church Music have made a significant impact on the study, practice or condition of church music in Canada over the course of their career.

About F.SICM

In 2009, SICM’s 40th anniversary year, composer, Mark Sirett, wrote and dedicated his anthem, Bwana Asafiwe!/Make a Joyful Noise, to SICM Director Emeritus, Dr. Kenneth Inkster, and donated proceeds from its sale by Kelman Hall Publishing of Music Plus (Kitchener, Ontario) to SICM’s ongoing work. Inspired by Dr. Sirett’s example, the SICM Board of Governors voted unanimously to confer every two years an honorary Fellowship of the Summer Institute of Church Music – F.SICM – upon an individual who, like Dr. Inkster, had given deeply of themself to church music in Canada. Moreover, a Canadian composer would be approached to honour that individual by offering or composing an anthem or other sacred choral work that would be published by an SICM partner and performed in the presence of the honouree at a public concert at the close of annual Institute week.

F.SICM Practice and Criteria

Every odd-numbered year SICM’s Board of Governors’ identifies an individual for recognition as a Fellow of the Summer Institute of Church Music.  As part of conferring this honour, SICM approaches a composer to submit a score for consideration, with the understanding that the score will be dedicated to a laureate of the F.SICM designation, and that the composer will abide by whatever requirements are necessary for publication by a publishing partner of SICM.

The Honoree

The honoree will be an individual who has pursued training, employment and ministry in church music in a deep and personally-transformative way. The individual will also have made a significant impact on the study, practice or condition of church music in Canada over the course of his or her career. Specific connection to the Summer Institute of Church Music is not required and shall not be considered by the Nominating Committee in determining candidates for this honour.

The Composer

A Canadian composer, often with a biographical connection to the honoree, is approached to create a new sacred choral work in honour of the conferring of the F.SICM. Specific connection to the Summer Institute of Church Music is not required and will not be considered by the Nominating Committee in this opportunity.  The composer, though encouraged to compose in forms accessible to many church choirs, is left free to choose text, and in making any arrangements with SICM’s publishing partner.

F.SICM Fellows

2025 Honoree

Patricia Young, longtime Director of Music to Cochrane Street United Church and other churches in St John’s, Newfoundland, trained as an Organ Scholar at Royal College of Music, and assistant organist at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. A past chair of the Avalon Centre of the RCCO and Newfoundland representative for UCCAM, Mrs Young founded and chaired for 2 years the Newfoundland and Labrador Choral Federation. In honour of Mrs Young’s becoming the ninth Fellow of SICM, Toronto composer and church musician Jason Locke composed “My Hope and Stay” with text by RA Parsons and Edward Moore, which was premiered at the 56th SICM Session in July 2025.

2023 Honoree

Jacobus Kloppers, South-African born organist, church musician, musicologist and educator has served the Edmonton music scene over a half century, particularly the King’s University College (now King’s University), the University of Alberta and the (Anglican) Church of St John the Evangelist. In his honour of Dr Kloppers becoming SICM’s eighth Fellow, Edmonton composer Trent Worthinton created a new choir anthem “Cantate Domino (Sing in julle hart)” with text in Latin, English, French and Dr Kloppers’ home language, Afrikaans. Due to the cancellation of the SICM Session in 2023 the work was premiered in Edmonton in April 2024 by Pro Coro and the Edmonton Youth Choir under the direction of Dr Evelyn Grieger.

2021 Honoree

Rupert Lang, a native of Red Deer, Alberta, studied at the University of Manitoba. He went on to England where he studied at The Royal School of Church Music, and completed his studies at the University of Cambridge, St. John’s College. He served as Director of Music to Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver (1986-2024), and in 1983 founded the Vancouver Children’s Choir, which he still directs. In honour of Rupert becoming SICM’s seventh Fellow, Ottawa composer Matthew Larkin composed “Psalm 84,” which was premiered virtually at the online SICM 2021.

2019 Honoree

Dr. Stanley Llewellen Osborne, Founder of SICM (deceased in 2000)

In the Institute’s 50th anniversary season SICM posthumously conferred its sixth Fellowship upon its founder, clergyman, educator, hymnologist, writer and composer Dr Stanley Llewellyn Osborne. Osborne studied music at the University of Toronto with Sir Ernest MacMillan, Charles Peaker, and Healey Willan and theology 1929-32 at Emmanuel College and was ordained a United Church minister in 1932. Osborne founded SICM at Trafalgar Castle School in 1970. A hymn text, True Source of Love (10 10 10 10) was created by Dr Osborne’s friend and associate The Very Rev. Walter Farquharson. The original hymn tune “True Source of Love” by Lianne Tan was selected by competition, and premiered at SICM 2019.

2017 Honoree

Dr. Patricia Wright, a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale University and studied in France with Nadia Boulanger and Jean Langlais. She served 36 years as Director of Music to Metropolitan United Church in Toronto, during which time she was also very active with the Royal Canadian College of Organists and United Church Association of Musicians. In honour of Dr Wright’s becoming the 5th Fellow of the Summer Institute of Church Music Toronto composer Patrick John Murray composed “Morning Hymn” with text by Patricia Orr. The composition, with its extraordinary number of ‘Patrick/Patricia’ connections was premiered at SICM 2017.

2015 Honoree

Winnifred Sim (deceased in 2023) studied organ with Hugh Bancroft, John Clarke, and Ronald Gibson, serving many Winnipeg churches in a long and distinguished career. She became the organist for CBC TV’s ‘Hymn Sing’ in 1965 and succeeded Eric Wild as the program’s music director in 1977, continuing in that capacity in 1991. Mrs Simm’s becoming the 4th Fellow of the Summer Institute of Church Music was recognised by Kitchener-based composer Jeff Enns’ “Be Thou My Vision, composed in her honour.

2013 Honoree

Ruth Watson Henderson, pianist, composer and teacher, studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (Royal Conservatory of Music) and with Hans Neumann in New York on scholarship from the Mannes College of Music. Her composition teachers included Oscar Morawetz, Richard Johnston, and Samuel Dolin. Ms Watson Henderson has enjoyed a prolific career as composer of internationally known and performed works, accompanist and church musician, serving most recently at Kingsway Lambton United Church in Toronto. Toronto composer Stephanie Martin recognised Roth’s becoming the 3rd Fellow of SICM with her composition “And as I wake,” text from Il Penserero by John Milton, which was premiered at SICM 2013.

2011 Honoree

Fred Kimball Graham‘s accomplishments and contributions were recognised by the Summer Institute of Church Music when he was made its second Fellow in 2012, effective to 2011. Dr Graham’s studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music under Charles Peaker, and in Germany and Hungary were followed by him successfully completing the requirements for the Fellowship in the Royal College of Organists in London. Returning to Canada Fred served several churches, completed additional degrees at the Eastman School of Music and Drew University. Fred has served on the faculties of several Canadian universities, and served as the Worship and Music Officer of The United Church of Canada, and in 2008, was appointed founding director of Canada’s first Master of Sacred Music (MSMus) program, offered through Emmanuel College in collaboration with the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. Composer Anne Mizen-Baker dedicated her composition “There is no Rose of Such Virtue” to recognise Dr Graham becoming an Honorary Fellow; the work was performed in his honour at SICM 2012.

2009 Honoree

Kenneth Willard Inkster, 2nd Director and later Director Emeritus of SICM (deceased in 2015)

In 2009 Kingston composer Mark Sirett’s surprise composition and dedication of his anthem “Bwana Afafiwe!/Make a Joyful Noise,” text from Psalm 90, to Dr Inkster provided the inspiration to what would soon become SICM’s biennial conferring of Fellowships upon like Dr. Inkster, had given deeply of themself to church music in Canada. Ken was Dr Osborne’s Assistant at the time of his founding of the Institute in 1970, and shortly thereafter in 1975 became SICM’s longest-serving Director until his retirement in 2005 whereupon he was made Director Emeritus. Ken taught high school and served St John’s United Church in Alliston for decades, volunteering tirelessly with the RCCO, the United Church of Canada and constantly attending conferences and encouraging young musicians. Ken was made the Institute’s Honorary Fellow in 2013, but the Board made the honour effective in 2009, the date of the anthem that started it all.