Lionel Dakers
Lionel Frederick Dakers
died on March 10 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK. Born on February 24, 1924, in
Kent, Dr. Dakers studied at Rochester Cathedral and with Sir Edward Bairstow in
York. Following military service in the Royal Army Education Corps, he studied
at the Royal Academy of Music in London and earned a BMus from the University
of Durham in 1951. He received an honorary DMus from Exeter University in 1982,
and he was appointed CBE in 1984.
As organist he served at All Saints' Church in Frindsbury,
Rochester from the age of 15, at Cairo Cathedral during his war service, and at
Finchley Parish Church in London following the war. After five years as
assistant to Sir William Harris at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, he directed
the music at Ripon Cathedral from 1954 to 1957 and then at Exeter Cathedral
from 1957 to 1972. During his first year at Exeter, he was appointed Special
Commissioner to the Royal School of Church Music. In 1973 he succeeded Gerald
Knight as the third director of the RSCM, retiring in 1989 at the age of 65. Dakers,
elected an FRSCM in 1969, was the first married director of the RSCM, and his
wife Elisabeth was awarded an ARSCM in 1989 for her work there. During his
directorship, he made 60 tours around the world--an average of four a year.
Lionel Dakers was also president of the Incorporated Association of Organists
(IAO) from 1972 to 1975.
Following retirement, the Dakers lived in Salisbury, where
he was a lay canon of the cathedral and chairman of the Diocesan Advisory
Committee. He also continued to be very active as deputy president of the Royal
College of Organists, and as a director of Hymns Ancient and Modern. His wife
Elisabeth died in 1997.
Church Music at the Crossroads, the first of his many books
about changes in church music, was published in 1970 during his Exeter years,
and throughout retirement he continued to lecture and write about church music.
His last publications were Beauty beyond Words and a chapter in the IAO
Millennium Book both published in 2000. He was editor of The New Church Anthem
Book published in 1992. A Requiem Mass was held on March 21at Salisbury
Cathedral.
Michael Perrault
January 4, 1947-February 21,
2003
Words, so important in our everyday existence, are so feeble
when we attempt to express the enormous range of emotions we have upon the
death of a colleague. In February we lost our long-time friend and associate,
Michael Perrault. For the last six months Michael remained in incredibly
positive spirits as the cancer that paralyzed his body took its toll. With
family, friends and his faithful cat Mozart at his feet, Michael died at his
father's home in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin on February 21, 2003.
Michael was born on January 4, 1947 in Turtle Lake where, as
a young boy, he discovered a passion for music and one day announced that he
wanted a piano, something that he paid for by getting a paper route. Other
early musical activities included playing the saxophone and bassoon in the
Turtle Lake Band. His interest in the organ led to lessons in a neighboring
town and the position as organist of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Turtle Lake
while in high school.
Little known to those of us who knew Michael professionally
was his early interest and considerable knowledge of chemistry, especially
concoctions that "go bang in the night." He became friends with area
farmers who made use of his expertise in removing stumps from their fields, not
to mention all of the youthful adventures that fortunately he was able to
escape serious injury from during a more innocent time in history. His early
university studies found him majoring in chemistry and music before his musical
interests demanded a reversal in the order of those two fields.
Michael's first connection with Casavant Frères was
in the summer of 1966 following his freshman year at the University of
Wisconsin in Eau Claire when he began working with Arthur Fellows, the
Minnesota Casavant representative. To paraphrase Ernest Skinner, the orange
shellac of organ building got into his blood and he found his life's work.
During the time when Michael continued his musical studies in Toronto at
Trinity College and the University of Toronto, he worked with Alan T. Jackson,
the Metropolitan Toronto representative for Casavant. After returning to the
United States, Michael formed Perrault Pipe Organ Services and began to do
service work in the Chicago area, as well as represent Casavant Frères
in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
Another of Michael's interests was photography, which, like
music, he poured himself into, studying and practicing this visual art form to
perfection. Michael took many photographs of Casavant installations during the
past twenty-some years, many of which can be seen in articles, advertisements
and on five covers of The American Organist magazine. His knowledge of the instrument
and photography, coupled with his patience to find the right angle while
dealing with the often dark interior of churches, produced beautiful images
that not only met the requirements of critical editors, but also continue to
grace the walls of the offices and corridors at Casavant Frères.
Michael had a love for the good things in life and was a
gourmet cook in addition to his many other talents. His ready smile, delightful
sense of humor--usually dry like his martinis--and incredibly good timing
resulted in hearty laughs, not to mention memorable one liners. While we mourn
the all-too-soon loss of such a talented and good friend, we consider ourselves
privileged to have had the opportunity to work with and know him during his
lifetime.
The following tribute, expressing appreciation for his
talent and work, was inscribed on a large montage of his photographs and sent
to him last November.
To Michael Perrault
With great admiration for your artistic talent in music
and photography
In recognition of the many years of association with
Casavant Frères in the creation of numerous instruments installed in
churches and concert halls throughout the Midwestern United States
With the realization that this work will continue to
inspire all who see and hear these instruments for generations
We celebrate your friendship and the valued contributions
that have made this work successful
--Stanley Scheer
Vice President, Casavant Frères
