Don Wright Faculty of Music mourns the loss of Ralph Aldrich
It is with sadness and a heavy heart we inform our community of Ralph Aldrich’s passing on December 19, 2024.
Beloved teacher, mentor, and colleague, Professor Aldrich’s legacy and impact on our graduates and talented young musicians was profound. His kindness, boundless musical knowledge, and pedagogical dedication were foundational to building our program and deeply touched and impacted the lives of his students. Dr. Jonathan De Souza was kind enough to share a touching tribute below:
I started viola lessons with Ralph Aldrich when I was in high school, and because of him, I applied only to Western. He taught me about the viola, chamber music, teaching, and much more. Ralph was wonderfully supportive and always had a fascinating story or a funny comment to share. He cared deeply about music and his students. It’s no exaggeration to say that studying with him changed my life, and I know that many of his former students feel the same way.
Below is an obituary from his daughter Margot Aldrich. To view an abridged version online (posted Jan. 30, 2025) and post to the online guestbook, visit The London Free Press website: Ralph Aldrich | Obituary | London Free Press
Please join us in offering our sincerest condolences and sympathies to Professor Aldrich’s family, friends, colleagues, and former students as we also celebrate his brilliant legacy - and passion for music and his students.
The following obituary and photo above were provided by daughter Margot Aldrich to share with the Western community:
Ralph Aldrich, Professor Emeritus, passed away in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, on December 19, 2024, at the age of 91. He is predeceased by his wife, Pauline Aldrich (d. 2022), who was also on the faculty at Western University throughout the 70's and 80's as a piano instructor. He is survived by his son, Simon (Kirsten), his daughter Margot (John), his grandchildren, Aven, Lucas, Willa, Delphine and Kiri, and his great-grandson, Rupert. He leaves as his legacy a vast family of students, who continue to practise Ralph's pedagogical methods, and who cherish and share the wisdom he imparted.
Two memorials for Ralph will be held, one during the CAMMAC summer session in Arundel, Quebec, and one in London during the 2025/26 term, at dates to be announced.
Born and educated in New Zealand, Ralph Aldrich continued post-graduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music, London UK, and the Vienna State Academy; in Switzerland with Max Rostal and in the United States with William Primrose. He was associated with such European ensembles as the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Vienna Soloists, the London Mozart Players, the Menuhin Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra. Chamber Music ensembles included the MacNaghten Quartet, England, Trio Chelys of Luxembourg and the Hart Piano Quartet and Boccherini String Trio of Canada
Formerly on the faculty of the Cambridge College of Arts, (UK), he was also Principal Viola of the Cambridge University Music Society Orchestra directed by Sir David Willcocks. He was professor emeritus and past chair of the performance department, Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University. He has also been a guest professor at McGill University and the Conservatoire de Musique, Montreal and on the faculties of Domaine Forget and the Banff School of Arts. In the 2003 Mayor of London’s New Year Honours he received the Arts Award for services to music and in 2009 a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Canadian Viola Society.
Ralph was one of the founders of the Jeffery Concerts, first at the Aeolian Hall, and later at Wolf Performance Hall, and St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in London. He worked tirelessly with the Gordon Jeffery Music Foundation and the Gordon Jeffery Music Trust from 1986 until his departure from London in 2020. The Board then created an award in his name at the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western - The Ralph Aldrich String Award, a scholarship awarded to promising string players pursuing their studies in music.
Ralph and Pauline were devoted to CAMMAC, the Quebec summer program for amateur musicians of all ages, where Ralph taught every year from 1972 to 2005. Consequently, their children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchild, have kept CAMMAC close to their hearts as they teach, work and participate there every summer. Ralph believed strongly in every person's ability to make progress on an instrument, no matter their age, saying "flexible fingers need a flexible brain!" In addition to his outstanding musical experience, he was a dedicated collector of humorous stories and jokes, as anyone who knew him will have experienced, and he could find wit and humour in even the most dire circumstances!
To be with Ralph, was to be learning and laughing. He had a heart of pure gold, an unparalleled generosity of spirit, and a lively enthusiasm for personal connection, all of which will be cherished and missed by all who knew him.
His family wishes to thank the countless individuals who made up the tapestry of Ralph and Pauline's musical lives, both of which were long and wonderful, full of musical excellence, inspirational collaborations, deep friendships, and endless laughter.
The family also wishes to extend appreciation and gratitude to Ridgewood Assisted Living, Bridgewater, VON Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Palliative Care and to John Desgrosseilliers and Pantelis Andreou, all of whom provided exceptional care for Ralph.
For those wishing to continue Ralph and Pauline Aldrich's legacy in fostering the development and love of playing music, donations may be made to the following organizations, to which they were devoted:
Gordon Jeffery Music Foundation Young Artists Pre-College Academy (YAPCA)
www.yapca.ca/support/
CAMMAC Music Centre
cammac.ca/en/about/don/
