Lemuel McPherson Christian

Lemuel McPherson Christian MBE (1913–2000)[1] was a Dominican music educator and composer, who wrote the music for "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour", the national anthem of the Commonwealth of Dominica, the words being written by Wilfred Oscar Morgan Pond (1912–1985).[2][3] Also a music teacher, Christian ran the first music school in the Eastern Caribbean.

L. M. Christian

MBE
Born
Lemuel McPherson Christian

1913
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Died2001 (aged 87–88)
Roseau, Dominica
Occupation(s)Music educator, secretarial professor, and composer
Known forComposer of the national anthem of Dominica;
founder of Christian Musical Class and Secretarial School, the first music school in the Eastern Caribbean
RelativesPearle Christian (niece)

Gabriel J. Christian, Esq. (nephew)

Wendell M. Christian (brother)
AwardsGolden Drum Award

Biography

L. M. Christian was born on the island of Saint Kitts, where his father William Matthew Christian (1879–1961) was serving as a police sergeant in the Leeward Islands Police Force, and came to Dominica as a child.[4]

Following in the footsteps of his father, a skilled guitarist who in the 1930s founded a family orchestra, L. M. Christian in 1944 opened the Christian Musical Class and Commercial School, the first music school in the Eastern Caribbean,[4][5] which he ran in conjunction with typing classes.[6]

He was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music education in Dominica.[7]

Alongside lyrics by Wilfred Oscar Morgan Pond (1912–1985),[8] Christian's music for "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour" was adopted as the national anthem in 1967 when Dominica achieved statehood status within the British Commonwealth and was retained upon the country's independence in 1978.[9] It listed by The Guardian as one of the 10 best national anthems of countries competing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[10]

Christian was inducted into the Hall of Fame of St Luke’s Primary School.[11]

Family life

Christian passed on his love of music to his children, all of whom are professional musicians including his daughters Peganini, Palestrina, and Verdi,[5] and his sons Handel and Purcell. In 2013, Purcell received a Golden Drum Award, Dominica's highest cultural award, "for giving praise-worthy service work in music education and performance".[12]

L. M. Christian's siblings included Wendell McKenzie Christian (1921–2011, father of Gabriel J. Christian) and Henckell Lockinvar Christian, who was the father of music educator and composer Pearle Christian and served in as Minister of Education and Health in the Dominica government.[5][13][14]

References
  1. "DOMINICA : Dominica National Anthem", National Anthems of the World Organisation.
  2. "National Anthem", Government of Dominica.
  3. "Dominica's National Anthem", A Virtual Dominica.
  4. Gabriel J. Christian, Aboard the Commandante Pineres: Dominica, The 11th World Festival of Youth & Students, Cuba July 1978, & the Caribbean Struggle for National Liberation, Pont Casse Press, 2016.
  5. Musicians, Cultural Icons of Dominica.
  6. Lennox Honychurch. "Dominica's Cultural Icons | Musicians". A Virtual Dominica. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  7. SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 11 June 1966, p. 6553.
  8. "Dominica's Culutral Icons". Cultural Icons of Dominica. A Virtual Dominica. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  9. Xing Hang (ed.), "Dominica — Commonwealth of Dominica", Encyclopedia of National Anthems, p. 188.
  10. Alex Marshall, "And the winning anthem is ...", The Guardian, 11 August 2008.
  11. "St Luke’s Primary School’s Hall of Fame", Dominica Vibes, 30 April 2013.
  12. "Five receive highest cultural award", Dominica Vibes, 31 July 2013.
  13. Gabriel Christian, "The Interwar Years & the Caribbean Soldier in Social Transformation: A DOMINICAN PERSPECTIVE", p. 6, note 9.
  14. Judge Irving Andre, "In Memory of Our Distinguished Dominicans", Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences, 17 October 2011.
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