Barnes, Milton

Barnes, Milton, Canadian conductor and composer; b. Toronto, Dec. 16, 1931. He studied composition with John Weinzweig and Ernst Krenek, conducting with Victor Feldbrill, Boyd Neel, and Walter Susskind, and piano with Samuel Dolin at the Royal Cons, of Music of Toronto (1952–55). Then he pursued further training in conducting at the Accademia Musicale Chi-giana in Siena, at the Berkshire Music Center at Tangle-wood, and with Swarowsky at the Vienna Academy of Music (graduated, 1961). He began his career as a jazz drummer and guitarist; during his student days, he composed many dramatic scores for productions at the Univ. of Toronto. He was music director and composer at the Crest Theatre (1961–63), and founder-conductor of the Toronto Repertory Orch. (1964–73). He also was conductor of the St. Catharines (Ontario) Sym. Orch. and Chorus (1964–73) and of the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) Phil., and Chorus (1965–73), and was composer and conductor-in- residence of the Toronto Dance Theatre (1968–73). An eclectic composer, he has utilized classical, jazz, and popular styles.