| Professor Emeritus, Music Department, St. FX University, Life Member of the Nova Scotia Band Association, passed away at home, Saturday, December 13, 2003, after a protracted and valiant battle with cancer. Born in Perth, Scotland, in 1934, educated in Scotland and England, he emigrated to Canada in 1959. James Hargreaves was prominent in the Canadian world of music as a virtuoso performer (trumpet), renowned conductor and gifted teacher. He was considered one of the foremost music directors of wind ensembles in Canada. He built programs that trained a generation of instrumental teachers and helped to establish a strong band component in areas where there had been none. He was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music and Trinity College of Music in London, U.K. A gifted soloist in all styles he was principle trumpet in Her Majesty's Scots Guards and a CBC Radio recording artist. In 1970, he attended Crane School of Music, State University of New York and was hired by St. FX in 1971 where he became a full professor in 1992. After retiring in 1999, he spent many hours in his workshop, Ash Lane Atelier, turning beautiful things from exotic woods for his family and friends. He was an avid, adventurous sailor who enjoyed a single handed voyage to Bermuda and family trips in Maritime waters. During the 1980s, he served as chair of the Music Department and among his other activities, arranged repertoire for wind ensemble. His forte, however was teaching. Whether at the podium or in the classroom, he was a master teacher, respected by his colleagues and loved and admired by his students who will remember him for the inspiration, support and impact he had on their musical lives. He was the founding Music Director and Conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble from 1991 to 1999. The N.S.Y.W.E. has achieved national acclaim and has established a reputation as one of Canada’s premiere youth wind ensembles. He was conductor of the National Youth Band of Canada in 1996. He was also a member of the Maritime Jazz Orchestra (trumpet), 1996 to 2000 and an adjudicator and clinician across Canada. His many awards included the Canadian Band Association Distinguished Band Director Award, 1998 and the Nova Scotia Music Educators' Association Musica Viva Award in 2001. He is survived by his wife, Donna (Bjorgan) Hargreaves, a musician and educator. They met while establishing the music program at Canterbury High School of the Arts in Ottawa and were wed in 1972. He is the father of five surviving children, Stewart (Barbara), Antigonish; James (Lisa), St. Petersburg, Fla.; Richard (Marion), Brockville, Ont.; Heather (Stephen), New Glasgow and Alexis (Colin McNeil), Churchville. His body has been donated to Dalhousie Medical School. James Hargreaves Memorial Scholarship Fund Jim Hargreaves was awarded Life Membership to the Nova Scotia Band Association in 1998. |
| Professor James H Hargreaves |
| Previous Scholarship Winners |
| 2004 Natalie Alcorn North Nova Education Centre
2005 Elizabeth Roach Sackville High School 2006 Lori Hamilton Auburn High School 2007 Evan Mounce Avon View High School |
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