The fonds consists of John Peter Lee Roberts’ personal papers and records from his professional and academic career and involvement in the art music community spanning the years 1940 to 2015, however, the bulk of the records fall within the 1950s to the 1990s.
Evidenced in the fonds in particular is John Roberts’ work at the CBC, the Canadian Music Centre, the Canadian Music Council and the International Music Council, as well as his advisory role with the CRTC. There are reports and internal correspondence within the CBC documenting Roberts work as architect of programs, policy maker and as decision maker in leadership roles in the development of festivals and performances which include CBC concert programs, from the 1950s to the early 1980s. There is a significant volume of CBC correspondence between him and Canadian composers regarding the commissioning of works, performance and recording of commissioned works and about their developing careers. Among the composers are Murray Adaskin, Bruce Mather, R. Murray Schafer, Norma Beecroft, John Weinzweig, Barbara Pentland, Serge Garant, Istvan Anhalt, Harry Somers, and John Beckwith. There is also correspondence with Yehudi Menuhin with whom he and Gould worked, as well as musicians of note, such as Maureen Forester and Robert Craft.
There are files on Igor Stravinsky’s visits to Toronto in the 1960s which include photographs, correspondence with Stravinsky and Robert Craft, copies of scores, concert programs, news clippings, and articles. As well as, there are files on Roberts’ and Glenn Gould’s development of radio and TV documentaries.
Roberts’s research and writing is documented in files containing reference material, drafts and copies of presentations, papers, and publications, notably from his academic career, and also include research files on his M.A. thesis on the development of music, draft chapters and a copy of the thesis. Roberts’ work to preserve and promote Gould’s legacy after his death are evidenced in numerous research files and correspondence about his Gould’s letter publishing projects, and the establishment of the Glenn Gould Foundation and Prize and its early adjudication. Robert’s involvement as cofounder of the Toronto International Festival is documented in many file containing correspondence, proposals, budgets and reports. There are photographs, both candid shots and professionally produced which show Roberts in company of composers and other members of the Canadian and international music community in the 1960s to the 1980s. There are also files from his work with national and international associations in particular from his work with the Canadian Music Council and Canadian Music Centre and the International Music Council. The series CBC is by far the largest with a volume of 5.2 m and consists mainly of corporate CBC records which Roberts chose to retain and took with him when he left the CBC and which have therefore survived filling large gaps in the administrative records of the CBC acquired by the former National Archives.
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