2021 Prime of Life Achievement Award

Professor Emeritus Gary Gullickson retired twice. Immediately after concluding a 35-year career as a K-12 teacher and school administrator in the public education system, he was called to a 10-year University career, teaching music education and directing University Chorus for the Department of Music and Music Education. He retired a second time as Professor Emeritus. Throughout these two phases of his career as an educator, the admiration and love he has earned not only from his students but from the Saskatoon and regional community for his hard work building its performing arts is reflected in the Governor General’s announcement of December 30, 2020, appointing him to the Order of Canada. The road he followed to these achievements reflects the gradual development of music education available to Saskatchewan settlers in the 20th Century.

Born in Macoun, SK, as a child Gary took piano lessons from itinerant music teachers invited into his family home. Hoping to become a music teacher, he attended normal school (Saskatoon Teachers’ College, 1954-5) and upgraded his musical skills mainly by practice, at first by singing in Saskatoon community choirs while teaching in elementary schools.

During his 21 years teaching at Walter Murray Collegiate (1960-81) and developing as a choir director, band leader, music festival adjudicator, and school administrator, he also completed a B.Ed. 1961, B.A. 1964, and with a one-year leave in the United States, an M.A. Almost immediately after finishing his K-12 career as Vice-Principal of grade schools (successively Wildwood and Sutherland), he was called to a second, 10-year career teaching music education and directing the University Chorus in the USask Department of Music and Music Education.

In the community, he has been accompanist for 35 annual Christmas Carol Festivals, adjudicator for music festivals in Saskatchewan and Alberta (35+ years), director for 10 years of the Saskatoon Boys’ Choir (founded by Donald Forbes), organist and choir director at Knox and Third Avenue United Churches (10 years), musical director for many Saskatoon Summer Players and Gateway Players amateur theatre productions and some productions at the Centennial Auditorium. After retiring at last from his career in higher education, he has continued some service on arts boards, and has produced two recordings of his own music (available online).