Accession 80-1 - Dan Cameron

Dan A. Cameron was born in Ottawa on August 7, 1880 but moved to Winnipeg as a boy. He was well-known in Saskatchewan and across Canada for his association with the music field, and in particular for his vocal work.

He began his music career as a voice teacher at Albert College in Belleville, Ontario. Before coming to Regina, Cameron studied with Herbert Witherspoon, Oscar Saenger (famed coach and interpretation expert), Dr. Ferey Lulek, Carl Odell and George Sweet, all in New York. He served in the First World War overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and returned to Ottawa to hold a position with the Federal government looking after veterans’ affairs. During his time in Ottawa he was soloist at one of the leading churches.

By 1923 Cameron had returned to the music field when he was appointed to the Regina Conservatory of Music to head the voice department. Shortly after his arrival in Regina, he began to write for the Leader-Post. He wrote a music and drama column, book reviews, concert news, music festival reports and interviews. After 1940 he began to write on a range of topics.

Besides his teaching at the Conservatory and his writing, Dan Cameron was involved in a great number of professional music associations in Regina. From the Regina Orchestral Society to the Knox-Metropolitan Church choir, Cameron sang and organized a great many singers in Regina.

Cameron’s papers cover the period 1913 to 1963, and reveal the full extent of his involvement in vocal activities in Regina and in Canada. As well, they contain many interesting details on military personnel through a roster book, revealing notes on singing techniques, and correspondence and programmes from various notable musical events, such as the Gracie Fields concert of 1940. All-in-all these papers give the reader a fascinating glimpse of one of Regina’s most noted vocal musicians.