Phil Nimmons

Phil Nimmons OC OONT
Background information
Born	(1923-06-03)June 3, 1923 Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Died	April 5, 2024(2024-04-05) (aged 100) Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Jazz, classical
Occupations	Musician composer arranger educator
Instrument	Clarinet
Years active	1948–2024
Labels	Verve Records RCA records CBC Records Sackville Records MCC Records Marquis CMC records
Website	www.philnimmons.ca

Phillip Rista Nimmons OC OOnt (June 3, 1923 – April 5, 2024) was a Canadian jazz clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and educator. Nimmons played "free jazz" and mainstream styles, and other genres including classical music. He composed more than 400 pieces in various genres, and for various instrumentations including film scores, music for radio and television, chamber music, music for large ensembles, concert band and symphony orchestras. He studied clarinet at the Juilliard School, and composition at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

He was involved in the development of the jazz performance program at the University of Toronto, and became its director emeritus in 1991. He also helped establish music education programs at University of Western Ontario, University of New Brunswick and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. In 1974, Nimmons received the first Juno Award given in the Juno Awards jazz category, for his album Atlantic Suite. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1993, and was recipient of the Order of Ontario. In 2002, he received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his lifetime contribution to music.