ABOUT
The evening of April 6th 1971 (I'm 8 years old) I'm watching the news, a death notice, Igor Stravinsky. Accompanying the story is an exotic melody played on a 'strange' instrument, the bassoon, and it-was-captivating - deep, dark, mysterious - captivating. A sunny afternoon, August 1983, I'm restless, sitting in Music History class, waiting. The professor eventually arrives; no greeting, she's obviously preoccupied with some unhappy business, advances to the record player, puts a disc on the turntable, and sets the needle. My mind explodes. After the opening phrase I am compelled to interrupt the class, somewhat embarrassed as I was still quite shy in my demeanour then, and blurt out, "What is this?" Displeased, even annoyed, initially, she explains. Le Sacre du primtemps, The Rite Of Spring, by Igor Stravinsky. And I have found not one, but two kindred spirits. Igor and the professor. With but a scant few questions from other students we talked the whole class-time, just she and I, about the profound impact of music on memory and the brain, and the historical impact of The Rite. That I should remember, 12 years on, a single melody heard only once still astounds me. That's! Why! Music! That's! Why! Stravinsky! That's! Why! garden music! That's! Why! The Traveller! ...That's why music from now on. Just Music.
- Michael Geroux
Biography :
Michael Geroux pursued a variety of professions over his career, from personal assistant to teacher for hearing impaired children. His true passion, though, has always been music. Despite growing up in a large family, in an isolated rural area of Georgian Bay with no access to libraries let alone musical training, Michael had innately learned music, which he attributes to sheer perseverance and a strong need for self-expression…
[Reference: https://www.manitoulin.com/newish-to-manitoulin-rex-leonard-and-michael-geroux/]
His lovely melodies are set in jewels of harmonic and contrapuntal invention, and (like his manners), Geroux’s sparkling settings of cadences are tactfully and stylishly appointed. It’s obvious Geroux has listened and absorbed extensively -- the influences of Stravinsky, Mahler, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach (name any solid composer) --are heard. Yet Geroux’s style is his own, and an entirely modern voice. For his sensitivity and craft and ability to move the listener, Geroux could easily write for film. His unbridled love of beauty and balance and shape in all the segments of his music, however, attest to a gentle, inspired soul, which has strived long and hard to sustain the purity and innocence of what makes us all, ultimately, love music.
- Colleen Johnston — FOR THE RECORD
MOv - Manitoulin virtual Orchestra // Info: Michael Geroux