In the summer of 1978, the 103-foot vessel Levi W. Davis made its way north along the coast of Labrador.

It wasn’t an unusual route for the vessel. But this particular voyage must have made for an uncommon sight.

A tent was pitched on the ship’s after deck to provide shelter for a television crew, and a brass quintet would practice on the forward deck when the weather allowed it.

The journey, in support of a concert series in Labrador and a subsequent 30-minute film, was the brainchild of Dr. Donald F. Cook, director of Memorial University’s School of Music.

At the time, Memorial’s music school was in its infancy. And Dr. Cook’s philosophy for making music at Memorial often involved bringing music to communities all over the province — even if it meant travelling over 800 kilometres at eight knots an hour.

 

Mr. John Anderson of the Nain brass band and Dr. Donald Cook in February 1979. Photo from Memorial University Archives.

 

Dr. Cook was born and raised in St. John’s. When he graduated from high school, Memorial didn’t have a music program, so he travelled to New Brunswick and earned his bachelor’s degree at Mount Allison in 1957.

He completed his master’s degree at the Union Theological Seminary in New York and his PhD in musicology at King’s College, University of London.

After 10 years as a music teacher in Newfoundland, Dr. Cook joined the faculty of Memorial University in 1968. He taught courses, established youth programs and helped develop the university’s undergraduate program in music.

When Memorial’s School of Music officially opened in 1975, Dr. Cook was named its first director. He would hold this position for 25 years.

During his tenure, Dr. Cook carefully oversaw the construction of the music building and helped grow the school into one of the biggest and best equipped in Atlantic Canada.

He directed the St. John’s Extension Choir of Memorial University and established Memorial’s Chamber Choir, which continues to represent Memorial nationally and internationally and supports the development of choral music across the province.

Always active in the community, Dr. Cook was the organist and choirmaster at the Newfoundland Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist for 14 years. He was the chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, the Canadian University Music Society and the International Mozart Chamber Music Competition.

In 1992, he moved to London, Ontario, to become principal of the school now known as Conservatory Canada.

But his connection to Memorial remained constant.

In 1993, the School of Music’s recital hall was named in his honour, and he received an honorary degree from Memorial in 1999.

Then in 2007, Memorial’s Chamber Choir performed a special gala concert at the prestigious Glenn Gould Studio in the CBC Broadcasting Centre. The final number featured Dr. Cook’s own arrangement of the folk song “That St. John’s Girl.”

And who else could accompany the choir on piano but Dr. Cook, that lifelong ambassador for the music made at Memorial.