Dossier File 161 - Wallis, Gordon

Gordon C. Wallis was born in Dodsland, Saskatchewan on July 7, 1917. Wallis earned an A.T.C.M. Associate - Special Diploma (Piano) in 1934 from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto and from 1935 to 1938 gave piano lessons to students in several towns in Saskatchewan. Wallis served overseas with the Canadian army during World War II obtaining an honorable discharge in 1945. In 1946 he joined the piano faculty of the Hambourg Conservatory of Music in Toronto where he taught until 1951.

Wallis was organist and choirleader at St. Clair Baptist Church in Toronto, Royal York Road United Church, Knox Presbyterian Church in Oakville and at the High Park Avenue United Church in Toronto from 1948 to 1961 while from 1952 to 1965 he also taught lessons privately. From 1960 to 1962 Wallis was Supervisor of Music for Markham (Ontario) Public Schools and

Wallis worked in Toronto as organist and choirlaeader, accompanist, and taught privately. In August 1966 he became Assistant Director of the Regina Conservatory (of Music) at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, forerunner to the University of Regina. Wallis was heavily involved with the Saskatchewan music scene and several scholarships have been established in his name.

In addition to teaching piano, opera was also very important to Wallis and the Gordon Wallis Opera Resource Centre is located at Darke Hall. This resource centre includes his extensive personal collection of material related to opera and includes recordings and operatic scores, libretti, documents, books, periodicals and programmes from major opera houses all over the world.