OTTAWA, August 3, 2010 - Canada has lost a man of great talent with the passing of Montréal's Otto Joachim, composer, teacher, and musician.
German by birth, Otto Joachim settled in Canada in 1949. He made his debut with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, where he became first violin.
In the 1950s, he founded his own studio for electronic music, the third of its kind in Canada. It was in this studio that he created Katimavik, the work he wrote for the Canada Pavilion at Expo 67. He also founded the Montreal String Quartet and the Montreal Consort of Ancient Instruments.
In addition to his career as composer and violinist, Otto Joachim taught violin and chamber music at the McGill Conservatory and the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montréal.
Otto Joachim received numerous distinctions throughout his long career, including the Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée from the Société St-Jean-Baptiste. He was also named chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec in 1993.
On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Otto Joachim.
Matthew Deacon
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Official Languages
819-997-7788
matthew.deacon@pch.gc.ca
