In memoriam of E. No毛l Spinelli, C.M., C.Q.
It is with great sadness听that听we announce听the passing of听E. No毛l Spinelli听on October 16, 2020.听A听dynamic听entrepreneur听as well as a visionary听and philanthropist,听Mr.听Spinelli听played an important听role in听building听many Montreal musical institutions.听He was a devoted supporter of the Schulich School of Music听and听was a member of the Faculty听Advisory Board for many years.听A lover of opera and vocal music, he established the听E. Noel Spinelli Prize in Music听to support the careers of young听singers听studying at听the School.听The Schulich School of Music is grateful听to have been a recipient of his generosity towards听developing musicians听for so many years.听听
Mr. Spinelli was born in 1927 in Lachine, where his family ran a gas station and garage. In the 1960s, he transformed it into a Toyota dealership that has since become a multi-franchise operation. As a young man, he studied trumpet, bass, and voice, and trained at the Conservatoire de musique du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al. He was a star crooner in the 1950s and dreamed of becoming an opera singer.听
Driven by a desire to share his passion for music by making it accessible to everyone,听Mr. Spinelli听launched numerous projects and events.听Some of his many endeavors include co-founding Concerts Lachine, a non-profit organization that produces free classical music concerts accessible to all. He also founded Concerts Spinelli, a showcase for young musicians, and was instrumental in establishing the Atelier d鈥檃rt听lyrique听de Lachine. He chaired a million-dollar fundraising campaign to restore the historic Casavant organ at Saints-Anges-de-Lachine church, and co-founded and chaired (2006鈥�13) the Canadian International Organ Competition, which supports young organists at the international level.听
Mr. Spinelli听served on the boards of numerous cultural organizations, including the National Arts Centre,听Jeunesses听musicales du Canada,听Orchestre听symphonique听de Montr茅al,听Orchestre听M茅tropolitain, Conseil des arts de Montr茅al, Soci茅t茅 de la Place des Arts, I Musici Chamber Orchestra,听and the听Op茅ra de Montr茅al.听
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A听Member of the Order of Canada and a Knight of the National Order of Quebec, Mr. Spinelli received听the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts听in 2019.听
