# Jan Simons

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jan_Simons
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jan_Simons.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Simons
> Source revision: 1341446676
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Jan Simons** (11 November 1925 – 7 May 2006) was a Canadian [baritone](/source/Baritone), music teacher and administrator. Complementing a vocal performance career in Canada in the 1950s and 1960s, he was a member of the faculty of music at [McGill University](/source/McGill_University) in [Montreal](/source/Montreal) and a long-time teacher and general director at the summer music camp of [Canadian Amateur Musicians/Musiciens Amateurs du Canada](/source/Canadian_Amateur_Musicians/Musiciens_Amateurs_du_Canada) (CAMMAC).

## Life and career

Born in [Düsseldorf](/source/D%C3%BCsseldorf), [Germany](/source/Germany), he lived in [The Hague](/source/The_Hague), [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands) before moving with his family to [Montreal](/source/Montreal) in 1939.[1][2] After graduating from high school, he studied voice in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) with [Emilio de Gogorza](/source/Emilio_de_Gogorza), then returned to Canada to attend [The Royal Conservatory of Music](/source/The_Royal_Conservatory_of_Music) in [Toronto](/source/Toronto) on a scholarship, where he studied with [Emmy Heim](/source/Emmy_Heim) and Ernesto Vinci.[1][2]

Simons specialized in [lieder](/source/Lieder) as well as oratorio; notable performances include the 1956 Canadian premiere of the ballet *Dark Elegies* by the [National Ballet of Canada](/source/National_Ballet_of_Canada), set to music of [Mahler](/source/Mahler)'s [Kindertotenlieder](/source/Kindertotenlieder), and the [Stratford Festival](/source/Stratford_Festival)'s first concert in 1955.[1][2]

Simons taught voice in the [Faculty of Music](/source/Schulich_School_of_Music) at McGill University from 1961 to 1993,[1] continuing to teach song interpretation as well as vocal technique privately until his death.[2] He also taught for periods of time at Montreal's [Marianopolis College](/source/Marianopolis_College) and [Vanier College](/source/Vanier_College).[1] Notable students who went on to vocal careers of their own include [Stephanie Marshall](/source/Stephanie_Marshall) and [Matthew White](/source/Matthew_White_(countertenor)).[1] He received the Opus Prix Hommage from the Conseil québécois de la musique in 2005.[1][2]

He is the father of six children,[2] including [Nicholas Simons](/source/Nicholas_Simons), a [Member of the Legislative Assembly](/source/Member_of_the_Legislative_Assembly) of [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia).[3]

## References

1. Turbide, Nadia & Church, Sarah (2013-12-15). ["Jan Simons"](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/jan-simons-emc). The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2022-04-22.

1. Dubois, Danielle (2005-02-15). ["Jan Simons —Winner of the 2005 prix Hommage"](http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm10-5/Jan-Simons-en.htm). La Scena Musicale. Retrieved 2022-04-22.

1. JAN SIMONS, SINGER 1925-2006 Stone, M JView Profile. The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 29 June 2006: S.9.

- Zarya Rubin, "Remembering Jan Simons", in *La Scena Musicale*, 16 May 2006. Downloaded 6 Jun 2011 from [\[1\]](http://www.scena.org/columns/reviews/060516-Simons.html).
- Obituary of Jan Simons, *The Montreal Gazette*, 14 May 2006, page A14.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jan Simons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Simons) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Simons?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.