Choir School loses a friend

Last night I received word of the death of composer and conductor Richard Proulx. He was 72 years old. Once serving as the Director of Music at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral, Richard was a tireless advocate of the Choir School. In 1994, Richard spent the better part of a year in Salt Lake City as the Cathedral's Composer in Residence. There are over fifteen of his published works that are dedicated to the Cathedral and School musicians and staff. He was of immense support to me in the early years of my work.

He came to Salt Lake City quite often for meetings, and even vacation (there was a very memorable trip to the Tetons and Yellowstone.) He stayed in Salt Lake City for extended periods on two occasions. Once as mentioned above in the capacity of composer-in-residence, and a second time tragically right after the opening of the school in 1996.

In August of 1996, Richard came to Salt Lake City together with Dr. Leo Nestor, Director of Music at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D. C. and James O'Donnell, Master of Music at London's Westminster Cathedral to celebrate the opening of the Madeleine Choir School. When Richard arrived, he became ill, and developed a heart condition which required a difficult surgery resulting in months of hospital stay and recuperation. Only in mid-December was he able to return to his home in Chicago. Monsignor Mannion, Cathedral Pastor at the time was very devoted to assisting Richard and visited him daily, and choirschool parent Talitha Day became Richard's surrogate family attending to many of his needs.

Richard's musical skills were immense, and he contributed greatly to the composition of English musical settings for the Mass. Almost every Sunday you will see one of his musical settings in the Cathedral bulletin being used at our Sunday Liturgies. In recent years he has been busy with recording, and you can find a number of CD's featuring Catholic music available through GIA publications.

His last years were marked with health difficulties and no little anxiety about the future direction of the church music industry selling out to less noble but immediately 'marketable' forms. He encouraged and supported countless young people around the country, including me.

May the angels and saints, whose song you conveyed to us in numerous ways, lead you to paradise. Rest in peace, dear friend.