Singer and teacher Catherine Young, who served as the head of the voice department at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for thirty years, has died.
Young died in her sleep June 13 at her home in Broadmead. She was 88. 鈥淚t was a life well lived,鈥� her son, Ty Young, a professional cellist now living in Dallas, Texas, told the Times 91原创.
The Clearfield, Pennsylvania, native moved to Victoria with her husband, Phillip T. Young, who was hired in 1969 as chairman of the University of Victoria鈥檚 department of music. Catherine Young was hired by the Victoria Conservatory of Music in 1971, and served as a mentor to dozens of future professionals 鈥� including operatic tenor Richard Margison 鈥� before her retirement in the late 鈥�90s.
The school created the annual Catherine Young Voice Prize to honour her contributions, and made her a life member of the school in 2001.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard from a few of her students, and the message that kept on coming was that she was supportive, no matter what level of expertise,鈥� Ty Young said. 鈥淚f you wanted to study classical singing simply so you could enjoy it, or sing in church, her thinking was: 鈥楥ome on in.鈥� She was always so supportive.鈥�
