Malcolm Tait

Tait, Malcolm

Malcolm (James) Tait (b Miller-Tait). Cellist, teacher, b Vancouver 21 Jan 1931. He studied cello in Vancouver with Mildred Johnston 1936-44 and Dezsö Mahalek 1944-8 and began playing professionally at 17. After further study in 1953 with Pierre Fournier in Paris, he returned to Canada and served 1954-7 as principal cello of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and 1955-7 as a member of the de Rimanoczy Quartet (known 1956-7 as the CBC Quartet). He was principal cello 1957-67 of the TSO and 1960-9 of the Stratford Festival orchestra and has performed with several orchestras across Canada. He taught 1960-6 at the RCMT and in 1967 was the first cellist appointed as artist-in-residence to a Canadian University, the University of New Brunswick. Tait was on the faculty at Brandon University 1968-84, after which he was appointed to the faculty of the University of Western Ontario.

Tait performed with the Brandon University Trio, as solo recitalist, and, on occasion, as a member of the Cassenti Players for that group's 1974-5 national tour. During the 1980's he played with the Festival Trio of Canada, the University of Alberta String Quartet, and the Hart Piano Quartet (of which he was a founding member in 1985), He has given many solo recitals and master classes both in Canada and also in the USA, Europe, China and Japan. Tait is both an examiner and also an adjudicator, and performs regularly with the University of Western Ontario Orchestra and Quartet. Many of his pupils perform in orchestras throughout Canada.