John Whitelaw (born 1943) is an American-born Canadian harpsichordist.

Life and career

Born in New York in 1943,^[1] Whitelaw was originally trained as a pianist at liberal arts colleges in Tennessee, Indianapolis, and Chicago.^[2] He was a student of Kenneth Gilbert in Montreal from 1967-1971; during which time he also pursued further music studies at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec and McGill University.^[2] In 1970 he won the Prix d'Europe.^[3] That same year he was a finalist at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich and was awarded the Premier Prix by the Conservatoire de musique du Québec.^[2] In 1971 he won second prize at the Musica Antiqua Bruges competition in Belgium,^[4] and third prize at the international harpsichord competition in Paris.

While continuing his education in Canada, Whitelaw simultaneously worked as a music faculty member at the University of Ottawa.^[2] He also was the director of the Montreal Chamber Singers.^[2] After leaving Canada, he worked as a longtime faculty member of the Royal Conservatory in Ghent.^[3] In 1976 he toured Australia as the harpsichordist in the Five Centuries Ensemble.^[5] He has appeared as a guest artist on numerous recordings, and in 1996 released his studio recording of works of William Byrd. He has also played the clavichord, the forte-piano and the piano, in particular accompanying South African soprano Gerda Hartman in, notably, the repertoire of the German Lied.^[6]

References