Henri Verbrugghen

Henri Adrien Marie Verbrugghen (1 August 1873 – 12 November 1934) was a Belgian musician, who directed orchestras in England, Scotland, Australia and the United States.

In 1902 he became leader and deputy-conductor under Frederic Cowen, and during the promenade season led the Queen's Hall Orchestra for three years.

He had a great admiration for English-speaking people but did not like the methods of their schools of music, and decided that the conservatorium at Sydney should be based on continental models.

For six years Verbrugghen's influence on the musical life of Sydney was of outstanding importance, but the politicians had not realized that it is impossible to carry on work of this nature without financial loss.

In 1927 he composed his Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena for the choir of St Mary's Basilica in Minneapolis, which is still popular in various congregations in the Midwest which celebrate the Tridentine Latin Mass.