John Coveart

Coveart, John
John Coveart. Pianist, accompanist, vocal coach, teacher, b Toronto 14 Sep 1924, d there 23 Jan 1987; ATCM 1943. He studied with Margaret Miller Brown and for two summers, 1943-4, with Gerald Moore. Coveart became a piano teacher and vocal coach at the RCMT in 1948 and at the University of Toronto in 1960. He taught at the University of British Columbia summer school 1958-60 and at various times was a coach and accompanist for the COC. He spent the summers of 1969 and 1970 studying repertoire with the French baritone Martial Singher. He accompanied the Danish baritone Aksel Schiøtz in western Canada, and Anna Russell on tour in Canada and the USA and on her recording Anna Russell Sings! Again? (Col ML 4733), reissued as part of The Anna Russell Album? (1972, Col MG 3119). He recorded with Jeannette Zarou (CBC SM-8), Stephanie Fedchuk (Ukrainian Songs Recital, RCA SF 1000), and Barbara Collier and Janos Tessenyi (Songs, of Zoltan Kodaly, 1984, Podium W-8211). After a performance in Sarnia in 1946, one critic praised his 'delicacy of touch and individualistic interpretations that were an esthetic delight'. Anna Russell stated that 'he was just as brilliant in fun and nonsense as he was in his serious work'.

Author William Schabas