July 18, 1933:
Raymond Murray Schafer is born in Sarnia, Ontario, Dominion of Canada, the first of two children of Harold J. Schafer, an accountant, and Belle Rose. Both parents are amateur musicians.
March 3, 1956:
Murray Schafer (22) boards the SS Ascania in Halifax, making for Portsmouth.
December 15, 1957:
After almost two years in Europe, Murray Schafer (24) boards ship in England to return to Canada.
August 10, 1959:
Murray Schafer (26) departs Vienna by train to study folk music as a guest of the People Republic of Romania.
July 1, 1960:
Murray Schafer (26) marries the Canadian mezzo-soprano Phyllis Mailing in the Town Hall of Chelsea, Great Britain.
October 9, 1962:
R. Murray Schafer (29) outlines his ideas about music education for the first time, to a meeting of secondary school teachers in Toronto. He advocates more listening skills than theory.
April 5, 1964:
The Geography of Eros for soprano and chamber orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (30) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
May 24, 1966:
Loving for four voices, two actors, dancers, orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (32) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
November 3, 1966:
Untitled Composition for Orchestra no.1 by R. Murray Schafer (33) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
November 17, 1966:
Brébeuf, a cantata for baritone and orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (33), is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
June 11, 1967:
Threnody for chorus, speakers, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (33) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
August 10, 1967:
Gita for chorus, brass, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (34) is performed for the first time, at Tanglewood, Lenox, Massachusetts.
March 10, 1968:
Protest and Incarceration, two songs for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (34), is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
November 13, 1968:
Son of Heldenleben for orchestra and tape by R. Murray Schafer (35) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
November 21, 1968:
Requiems for the Party-Girl for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (35) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
March 29, 1969:
Murray Schafer (35) and his wife arrive in Teheran on a travel grant from the Canada Council.
May 27, 1969:
Dream Passage for mezzo-soprano, chorus, actors, dancers, chamber orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (35) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of CBC Vancouver.
July 16, 1970:
String Quartet no.1 by R. Murray Schafer (35) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
October 31, 1970:
Ancient Voices of Children for soprano, treble, oboe, mandolin, harp, electric piano, and percussion by George Crumb (41) to words of Garcia Lorca is performed for the first time, in the Library of Congress, Washington. The work receives a standing, cheering ovation from the listeners assembled. Also on the program is the premiere of the String Quartet no.4 of Milton Babbitt (54), Changes for tape and electronics by Charles Dodge (28), Mass for soprano, clarinet, and electronics by John C. Eaton (35), and Sappho for mezzo-soprano, harp, piano, guitar, and percussion by R. Murray Schafer (36).
February 25, 1971:
Music for the Morning of the World for soprano and tape by R. Murray Schafer (37) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
November 16, 1971:
No Longer Than Ten (10) Minutes for orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (38) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
April 12, 1972:
Divan i Shams i Tabriz for seven voices, orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (38) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
August 23, 1972:
Patria II: Requiems for the Party-Girl for mezzo-soprano, chorus, actors, dancers, chamber orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (39) is performed for the first time, in Stratford, Ontario.
September 21, 1972:
Enchantress for soprano, flute, and eight cellos by R. Murray Schafer (39) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
May 31, 1973:
Lustro for eight voices, orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (39) is performed for the first time, in Toronto. It is a triptych of two previously performed works, Divan i Shams i Tabriz and Music for the Morning of the World, and a new work, Beyond the Great Gate of Light.
August 17, 1973:
North/White for orchestra and snowmobile by R. Murray Schafer (40) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
November 18, 1974:
Frustrated with a growing lack of autonomy and funds, Murray Schafer (41) resigns his position as Professor of Communication Studies at Simon Fraser University, effective next 31 August.
September 18, 1975:
Murray Schafer (42) marries his second wife Jean C. Reed.
November 24, 1976:
String Quartet no.2 “Waves” by R. Murray Schafer (43) is performed for the first time, in Vancouver.
December 6, 1977:
Cortège for orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (44) is performed for the first time, in Ottawa.
January 8, 1978:
Hymn to Night for soprano, orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (44) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
March 11, 1978:
La Testa d’Adriane for soprano and accordion by R. Murray Schafer (44) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
March 14, 1978:
Adieu, Robert Schumann for alto, orchestra, piano, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (44) is performed for the first time, in Ottawa.
March 3, 1979:
The Crown of Ariadne for harp and percussion by R. Murray Schafer (45) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
July 9, 1979:
Murray Schafer's (45) Maynooth Community Choir gives its first performance in Maynooth, Ontario.
August 29, 1979:
Jonah for chorus, actors, children, flute, clarinet, organ, and percussion by R. Murray Schafer (46) is performed for the first time, in Maynooth, Ontario.
September 26, 1979:
Music for Wilderness Lake for twelve trombones and a small lake by R. Murray Schafer (46) is performed for the first time, at O’Grady Lake, Ontario.
April 26, 1980:
Felix’s Girls, nine songs for vocal quartet or chorus by R. Murray Schafer (46) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
November 28, 1980:
Apocalypsis for solo voices, choruses, winds, and percussion by R. Murray Schafer (47) is performed for the first time, in London, Ontario.
March 28, 1981:
Wizard Oil and Indian Sagwa for speaker and clarinet by R. Murray Schafer (47) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
April 1, 1981:
Beauty and the Beast for alto and string quartet by R. Murray Schafer (47) is performed for the first time, in Montreal.
September 26, 1981:
Two works by R. Murray Schafer (48) are performed for the first time: String Quartet no.3 in Boston, and The Princess of the Stars for speakers, soprano, dancers, seven instruments, percussion, and canoeists, at Heart Lake, near Brampton, Ontario.
May 4, 1983:
RA for about 25 singers, actors, and dancers along with various middle eastern and western instruments by R. Murray Schafer (49) to words from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, is performed for the first time, in the Ontario Science Center in Toronto. The work takes eleven hours to perform. Critics are mixed.
March 10, 1984:
The Black Theatre of Hermes Trismegistos for solo voices, chorus, actors, and dancers by R. Murray Schafer (50) is performed for the first time, in Valencia, California.
October 8, 1984:
Concerto for flute and orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (51) is performed for the first time, in the Place des Arts, Montreal.
January 26, 1986:
Rounds for flute, violin, and viola by R. Murray Schafer (52) is performed for the first time, in Toronto. The name will be changed to Buskers.
April 9, 1986:
Letters from Mignon for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by R. Murray Schafer (52) to words of Goethe is performed for the first time, in Calgary.
August 6, 1987:
The Greatest Show for over 100 singers, actors, and carnival performers by R. Murray Schafer (54) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Peterborough, Ontario.
November 21, 1987:
The Characteristics Man for actors, singers, chorus, orchestra, and tape by R. Murray Schafer (54) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
March 9, 1989:
The Black Theatre of Hermes Trismegistos, a music-theatre by R. Murray Schafer (55) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Liège.
March 2, 1992:
The Crown of Ariadne, a music-theatre by R. Murray Schafer (58) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in Toronto.
February 29, 2004:
The Fall Into Light for chorus by R. Murray Schafer (70) to words of various authors is performed for the first time, in the atrium of the CBC building in Toronto.
September 25, 2009:
Spirits of the House for orchestra and off-stage chorus by R. Murray Schafer (73) is performed for the first time, in Koerner Hall, Toronto.