Lemuel McPherson Christian

L. M. Christian
MBE
Born
Lemuel McPherson Christian

(1913-05-01)1 May 1913
Saint Kitts
Died12 June 2000(2000-06-12) (aged 87)
Roseau, Dominica
OccupationsMusic educator, secretarial professor and composer
Known forComposer of the national anthem of Dominica;
founder of Christian Musical Class and Secretarial School, first music school in the Eastern Caribbean
Parent(s)William Matthew Christian and Beryl Christian (nee Jones)[1]
RelativesHenckell Christian (brother)

Pearle Christian (niece) Gabriel J. Christian, Esq. (nephew)

Wendell M. Christian (brother)
AwardsGolden Drum Award

Lemuel McPherson Christian MBE (1 May 1913 – 12 June 2000),[2] widely referred to as L. M. Christian, 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).[3][4] Also a music teacher, Christian ran the first music school in the Eastern Caribbean.

Biography

Early years

Lemuel McPherson Christian was born on 1 May 1913 on the island of Saint Kitts, to parents from Antigua, Beryl and William Matthew Christian.[5] William Christian (1879–1961) was serving as a police sergeant in the Leeward Islands Police Force, and Lemuel (one of eight children born to his mother, the others being Edris, Henckell, Ruby, Wendell, Floss, Clement and Daisy) went to Dominica as a child with his parents, in 1918.[1]

Encouraging Lemuel's early passion for music, his parents bought him a guitar on which to develop his talent, and he would go on to master 25 instruments.[6] By 1935, he established, together with his older brother Henckell and sister Ruby, the Christian Family Orchestra.[5]

Christian Musical Class and Commercial School

In 1944, L. M. Christian opened the Christian Musical Class, the first music school in the Eastern Caribbean,[1][7] which he ran in conjunction with typing classes,[8] opening the Christian Commercial Class in 1960.[5] The Christian Musical Class is considered one of Dominica's most significant contributions to music education.[9]

National anthem of Dominica

Alongside lyrics by Wilfred Oscar Morgan Pond (1912–1985),[10] 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, being retained upon the country's independence in 1978.[11]

Honours and recognition

Christian was appointed 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.[12]

He also received the Sisserou Award of Honour in the 1970s, and the in 1994 the Golden Drum Award, Dominica’s highest honour for achievement in the arts.[5][6]

"Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour", with Christian's music score, was listed by The Guardian as one of the 10 best national anthems of countries competing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[13]

Christian was inducted into the Hall of Fame of St Luke's Primary School.[14]

Family life

Christian passed on his love of music to his children, all of whom became professional musicians, including his daughters Peganini, Palestrina, and Verdi,[7] and his sons Handel and Purcell.[5] In 2013, Purcell Christian received a Golden Drum Award, Dominica's highest cultural award, "for giving praise-worthy service work in music education and performance".[15]

L. M. Christian's siblings included Wendell McKenzie Christian (1921–2011, father of Gabriel J. Christian) and Henckell Christian, who was the father of music educator and composer Pearle Christian and served as Minister of Education and Health in the Dominica government.[7][16][17]

L. M. Christian died in Roseau, Dominica, on 12 June 2000, aged 87.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Christian, Gabriel J. (2016). Aboard the Commandante Pineres: Dominica, The 11th World Festival of Youth & Students, Cuba July 1978, & the Caribbean Struggle for National Liberation. Pont Casse Press.
  2. ^ "DOMINICA : Dominica National Anthem", National Anthems of the World Organisation.
  3. ^ "National Anthem", Government of Dominica.
  4. ^ "Dominica's National Anthem", A Virtual Dominica.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Christian, Gabriel (20 October 2024). "'Isle of Beauty' – The life and times of Lemuel McPherson Christian and the Christian Musical Class". Dominica News Online. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Lemuel McPherson Christian". DOM767. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Musicians, Cultural Icons of Dominica.
  8. ^ Honychurch, Lennox. "Dominica's Cultural Icons | Musicians". A Virtual Dominica. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Christian Musical Class". DOM767. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Dominica's Culutral [sic] Icons". Cultural Icons of Dominica. A Virtual Dominica. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  11. ^ Hang, Xing (ed.). "Dominica — Commonwealth of Dominica" (PDF). Encyclopedia of National Anthems'. p. 188. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 11 June 1966, p. 6553.
  13. ^ Marshall, Alex (11 August 2008). "And the winning anthem is ..." The Guardian.
  14. ^ "St Luke’s Primary School's Hall of Fame", Dominica Vibes, 30 April 2013.
  15. ^ "Five receive highest cultural award", Dominica Vibes, 31 July 2013.
  16. ^ Christian, Gabriel (2009), "The Interwar Years & the Caribbean Soldier in Social Transformation: A DOMINICAN PERSPECTIVE", p. 6, note 9.
  17. ^ Andre, Judge Irving, "In Memory of Our Distinguished Dominicans", Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences, 17 October 2011.

Further reading

allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemuel_McPherson_Christian