Gordana Lazarevich

Lazarevich, Gordana

Gordana Lazarevich. Musicologist, pianist, administrator, b Belgrade 28 Feb 1939, naturalized Canadian 1957; Artist and Licentiate Diploma (Toronto) 1960, B SC (Juilliard) 1962, post-graduate diploma (Juilliard) 1962, M SC (Juilliard) 1964, PH D (Columbia) 1970. She studied 1957-60 in Toronto with Dorothy Johnston, Boris Roubakine, and Alberto Guerrero, and won the 1960 CBC Talent Festival; she performed twice with the TSO and appeared in recitals at the University of Toronto, the CNE, and the Toronto Art Gallery. At the Juilliard School she studied with Irwin Freundlich and Edward Steuermann and gave recitals; during this period she also performed on CBC radio and television. At Juilliard she developed an interest in musicology, which led her to pursue doctoral studies at Columbia U, where she wrote a dissertation entitled 'The role of the Neapolitan intermezzo in the evolution of eighteenth-century musical style; literary, symphonic and dramatic aspects, 1685-1745'.

Lazarevich taught at Barnard College, Columbia U 1969-74 and also at Sarah Lawrence College (Bronxville, NY) 1973-4, before moving to the University of Victoria in 1974, where she became director of graduate studies in music in 1975 and also director of the School of Music in 1986. While she continued to appear as a pianist (in concertos and as an accompanist), harpsichordist, and musical director until the late 1970s, her scholarly interests became predominant and resulted in numerous publications, including a critical edition of Johann Adolf Hasse's Larinda e vanesio (L'artigiano gentiluomo) of 1726 (Recent Researches in the Music of the Classical Era, vol 9, Wisconsin 1979), a critical edition (with Douglass Green) of Neapolitan opera overtures (The Symphony, 1720-1840; A,I: Antecedents of the Symphony, New York 1983), her book The Musical World of Frances James and Murray Adaskin (Toronto 1988), and a critical edition of Chopin's Etudes, Opus 25 for Peters. She has also written articles for Current Musicology, The Musical Quarterly, Analecta Musicologica, and The New Grove Dictionary; and book and record reviews for The Musical Quarterly, Notes, and the CUMR She contributed 43 articles (on Cimarosa, Pergolesi, and others), to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, and has given, over the years, many papers and lecture-recitals. While continuing to specialize in 18th-century music, she has established a distinguished reputation in terms of the music of the 19th century (eg, Chopin and Brahms) and the modern periods.

Lazarevich is a dedicated and energetic teacher and has served on various boards, including (in 1991) those of the Victoria SO and the Victoria Cons. In 1991 she was vice-president of the CUMS.