Michael Conway Baker

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗

Michael Conway Baker (born March 13, 1937) is an American-Canadian composer and music teacher.[1] He became a Canadian citizen in 1970 and lives in North Vancouver.[1][2]

Life and career

Baker was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, and taught himself basic music theory as a child.[1][3] His father is comedian Phil Baker.[1] Baker moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1958.[1] Subsequently, Baker studied music composition at the University of British Columbia with Jean Coulthard and Elliot Weisgarber.[1] After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1966, he eventually pursued graduate studies at Western Washington University, where he earned a Master of Music in 1972.[1]

Baker has composed numerous scores for film and television as well as over 150 concert works.[1] He has received three Genie Awards (for Nails, The Grey Fox, and John and the Missus),[4][5] one Juno Award for Classical Composition of the Year (for his Concerto For Piano and Chamber Orchestra),[6] and an ACTRA Award for Best Television Score (for A Planet for the Taking).[7] He has composed for the National Ballet of Canada, Expo 86 in Vancouver, and two episodes of Road to Avonlea.[1][8] In 1997, Baker was awarded the Order of British Columbia.[8] He received a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003.[1] Baker was inducted into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame in November 2006.[1][9]

He is known for having composed the Vancouver Variations,[2] used as the theme music for the CBC Music morning request program Here's to You. He wrote the music for Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades full-length ice ballet Cinderella: Frozen in Time.[2]

He was the composer-in-residence for the Vancouver School Board and a sessional lecturer at the University of British Columbia.[8]

Baker spent seventeen years as an elementary school teacher and lives in North Vancouver.[8] His wife Penny Anne Baker, who wrote lyrics for several of his works, died in 2018.[10]

References

  1. "Michael Conway Baker". BC ENTERTAINMENT HALL OF FAME. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  2. Iverson, John (2020-08-13). "Canadian Classical Master :: Composer Michael Conway Baker". Stylus magazine. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  3. "Baker, Michael Conway". KnowBC. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  4. "John and the Missus". Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  5. Topalovich, Maria (1984). A pictorial history of the Canadian Film Awards. Toronto: Stoddart. ISBN 978-0-7737-2036-7.
  6. "Past Nominees + Winners". The JUNO Awards. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  7. Freedman, Adele (April 4, 1986). "Charlie Grant's War is ACTRA's top show of the year: Nellie makes last stand brisk but chummy". The Globe and Mail.
  8. "Members of the Order of British Columbia: C–E". Province of British Columbia. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
  9. "Michael Conway Baker inducted into B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame". SOCAN. December 20, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
  10. "Penelope Baker Obituary - North Vancouver, BC". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2026-05-14.