Harry Crane Perrin (19 August 1865 – 6 November 1953)[1] was a cathedral organist at Canterbury Cathedral, England,[2] and an academic who served as the first dean of music at McGill University, Canada.
Perrin was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.[1] [3] He attended Wellingborough Grammar School,[3] and studied music under Sir Robert Prescott Stewart at Trinity College, Dublin,[1] [3] graduating with a Bachelor of Music in 1890,[4] as a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists in 1892,[4] and as a Doctor of Music in 1901.[4]
He composed the cantatas "Abode of Worship" and "Pan's Pipes" (both published by Breitkopf),[1] Song of War (published by Weekes),[1] morning and evening services, anthems, hymn tunes and songs (some of which were published by Novello & Co).[1] [4] [5]
He was organist at St Columba's College, Dublin,[1] at Lowestoft,[1] and, following a competition on the organ at Westminster Abbey,[3] at Coventry Cathedral.[1] He was organist and choirmaster at Canterbury Cathedral for ten years.[1] In 1908, he moved to Canada to take up an appointment as professor of music at McGill University in Montreal and director of the Conservatorium[1] [6] [7] [8] and was presented to King Edward VII prior to his departure.[8] Perrin restructured the curriculum at the Conservatorium so that instead of simply learning an instrument or singing, students also studied the history and theory of music.[9] In 1920, a Faculty of Music was established at the university,[10] and Perrin was its first dean until his retirement in 1930.[4] [11] He also established an orchestra[1] [7] and a choir there,[1] and developed a Canada-wide system of musical examinations.[1] [7]
He married Enid Hilda Pridmore in Coventry in 1896; they had one son and one daughter.Perrin died at his home in Exeter, Devon, in 1953.[11]
Organist of: