Charles Peaker (1900 – 1970) was a Canadian organist, choral conductor, and music educator. Born in England, he immigrated to Canada in the early 20th century and became a prominent figure in Toronto’s ecclesiastical and academic music circles.
Peaker held the position of organist and choirmaster at several major Toronto churches, most notably at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, where his work contributed to the development of liturgical music practice in the region. He also served on the faculty of the University of Toronto, teaching organ performance and choral conducting, and was involved with the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the Royal Conservatory of Music) as an examiner and mentor to younger musicians.
Throughout his career Peaker was active in professional organizations, including the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and he performed as a soloist in concerts across Canada and the United States. His contributions to Canadian church music were recognized with multiple honors, and a number of his arrangements and transcriptions for organ and choir remain in use by Canadian liturgical ensembles.
Peaker’s legacy endures through his recordings, published editions, and the many students he trained, who continued to influence Canadian musical life in the latter half of the 20th century.