Although born in England, Healey Willan spent most of his life in Canada. He taught at the Toronto Conservatory of Music and was organist at St. Mary Magdelene Church for decades. Willan had a wide influence as a teacher of composition and is best remembered today for his choral and organ compositions. He composed 14 mass settings, dozens of hymns for the church choirs, an opera, two symphonies, and a piano concerto. He received four honorary doctoral degrees and was awarded the Canada Council Medal in 1961 for outstanding achievements in the arts.