{{Short description|British-Canadian violist (1929–2019)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} '''Simon Nicolas Streatfeild''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|t|r|ɛ|t|f|i|l|d}} (5 October 1929 – 7 December 2019) was a British-Canadian violist, conductor and teacher.
Simon Nicolas Streatfeild was born in Windsor, Berkshire, England in 1929. He studied viola with Frederick Riddle at the Royal College of Music from 1946 to 1950.<ref name=MCO1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20050310212228/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0003324 The Canadian Encyclopedia: Simon Streatfeild]</ref> He then played with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Opera Orchestra, Covent Garden,<ref name="Riley History Volume 2">{{Citation |title=The History of the Viola, Volume II |last=Riley |first=Maurice W. | chapter =Brief Biographies of Violists |year=1991 |publisher=Braun-Brumfield |location=Ann Arbor, Michigan |page=434 }}</ref> became Principal Viola with the Sadler's Wells Orchestra (1953–55)<ref name="Riley History Volume 2"/> and the London Symphony Orchestra (1956–1965),<ref name=MCO1/><ref name=MCO>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060305222308/http://www.manitobachamberorchestra.org/0506/p17may06.html Manitoba Chamber Orchestra]</ref> and was a founding member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (1958–1965).
He moved to Canada, where he played various roles with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra from 1965 to 1977: Principal Viola, Assistant Conductor, acting Music Director, and Associate Conductor.<ref name=MCO1/>
Streatfeild was conductor of the Vancouver Bach Choir from 1969 to 1981.<ref name=MCO/> From 1977 to 1981 he was a visiting professor at the University of Western Ontario. He led the Regina Symphony Orchestra 1981–1984, overlapping the last year with his new post as conductor of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra (QSO) in July 1983, succeeding James DePreist and he left the QSO in 1991 over artistic differences. During his tenure the orchestra made its Toronto debut and its first commercial recordings.<ref>[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/simon-streatfeild-emc The Canadian Encyclopedia: Quebec Symphony Orchestra]</ref>
He was also conductor of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (MCO) 1982–2000.<ref name=MCO1/><ref name=MCO/> In 1983 he led the MCO in the world premiere of Michael Matthews's work ''Between the Wings of the Earth''.<ref>[http://www.michaelmatthews.net/work_details/between_the_wings/between_the_wings.html Michael Matthews.net]</ref>
In 2000 Streatfeild served as principal guest conductor and artistic advisor for Symphony Nova Scotia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/symphony-nova-scotia|title=Symphony Nova Scotia {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia|website=thecanadianencyclopedia.ca|access-date=2020-01-17}}</ref>
He regularly guest conducted in Canada, the US, the UK and Europe, and other places.<ref name=MCO/> He was Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo for ten years, where he was also Professor of Orchestral Conducting.<ref name=MCO/>
His recordings included music by Mahler, Berlioz, Shostakovich, Britten, Honegger, Messiaen and others.<ref name=MCO/>
In 1987 Streatfeild received a Canadian Music Council Medal for outstanding service to music in Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-music-council-medal-emc|title=Canadian Music Council Medal {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia|website=thecanadianencyclopedia.ca|access-date=2020-01-17}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Orchestre Symphonique de Québec conductors}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Streatfeild, Simon}} Category:2019 deaths Category:1929 births Category:English classical violists Category:Canadian classical violists Category:English male conductors (music) Category:Canadian male conductors (music) Category:British music educators Category:Canadian music educators Category:People from Windsor, Berkshire Category:British emigrants to Canada Category:20th-century British violists Category:20th-century Canadian violists Category:20th-century English male musicians Category:21st-century English male musicians Category:20th-century Canadian male musicians Category:21st-century Canadian male musicians Category:20th-century English conductors (music) Category:21st-century English conductors (music) Category:20th-century Canadian conductors (music) Category:21st-century Canadian conductors (music) Category:Players of the London Philharmonic Orchestra Category:Players of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Category:Players of the London Symphony Orchestra Category:Players of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Category:Players of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields