Filmer Hubble

Hubble, Filmer

Filmer (Edwin) Hubble. Organist, choir conductor, teacher, adjudicator, b Dulwich, England, 12 Jan 1904, d Winnipeg 25 Nov 1969; honorary LL D (Manitoba) 1967. He moved to Winnipeg in 1921 and studied music with Hugh Ross, becoming his assistant organist at Holy Trinity Anglican Church. He subsequently was organist-choirmaster at various Winnipeg churches, including, from about 1943 until his death, St Stephen's Broadway United. His choir there twice won the City of Lincoln Trophy, highest national award for adult choirs who have won local awards in Canadian competition festivals. He also conducted the Winnipeg Ladies' Choir, the Kelvin Grads Choir, the University Glee Club, the United College Chapel Choir, the Manitoba Schools' Orchestra 1941-53, and during World War II the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir. He was music director for many productions at Rainbow Stage. Organist for the popular CBC radio program 'Sunday Chorale,' he succeeded W.H. Anderson as conductor in 1955. He lectured at the University of Manitoba 1950-1 and 1956-7, and at the Banff SFA 1958-64, and he was in constant demand as an adjudicator throughout western Canada. Like Anderson, Hubble was something of a father-figure to young Winnipeg musicians in the 1940s and 1950s. A benign and generous spirit, he was never idle, yet never too busy to help, and fees often were brushed aside.