Ross Alden
The Canadian Music Centre has recognized Ross Alden (1920-2008) posthumously as an affiliated composer, celebrating his music with a memorial concert in Vancouver on his 100th anniversary.
Born a hundred years ago, Ross Alden worked in Canada, Great Britain, USA, Switzerland and Germany as a teacher, academic, composer and pianist, also accompanying eurythmy for Else Klink. He lived an active professional life.
As Murray Carmack he learned to read music from the hymnal of his mother, when he accompanied her to church. A little later a piano came into the house in lieu of a debt owed his father.
Murray Carmack also loved books, which were a refuge from the drudgery of farm life. He was also exposed to and suffered from violence in the home.
After his teacher training he taught school and wrote choral works for children.
The book Sing Me a Song was adopted as the music curriculum for the public school system in Canada and Great Britain.
Other advancements in his career included lecturing in music theory at Brown University (Rhode Island, US) and establishing the university transfer program in the Music Department at Douglas College (CA). All the while, he was composing.
Despite being gay, to adhere to social tradition and to protect against persecution, he married opera singer Edith Paull, who was an invaluable mentor. Within the context of his teacher’s exchange he met Mary Dudman in London, England. She was already actively involved in the lobby working to decriminalize homosexuality in England.
On account of her human rights work, not only trust developed, but a second marriage with two daughters Catherine and Elizabeth.
Murray Carmack became interested in the work of Rudolf Steiner and worked as pianist and composer at the Goetheanum (CH) and at the Eurythmeum in Stuttgart (DE). At the age of 69 he decided on a Kabalarian name change to Ross Alden.
Source summarized from a life sketch written by Elizabeth Carmack