In Canada, classical music includes a range of musical styles rooted in the traditions of Western or

European classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" als ...

that European settlers brought to the country from the 17th century and onwards. As well, it includes musical styles brought by other ethnic communities from the 19th century and onwards, such as

Indian classical music Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as ''Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...

(Hindustani and Carnatic music) and

Chinese classical music Music of China refers to the music of the Chinese people, which may be the music of the Han Chinese in the course of Chinese history as well as ethnic minorities in today's China. It also includes music produced by people of Chinese origin in s ...

. Since Canada's emergence as a nation in 1867, the country has produced its own composers, musicians and ensembles. As well, it has developed a music infrastructure that includes training institutions, conservatories, performance halls, and a public radio broadcaster, CBC, which programs a moderate amount of Classical music. There is a high level of public interest in classical music and education. Canada has produced a number of respected ensembles, including the

Montreal Symphony Orchestra The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (french: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, or OSM) is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The orchestra’s home is the Montreal Symphony House at Place des Arts. It is the only orc ...

and the

Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toron ...

, as well as a number of well-known Baroque orchestras and chamber ensembles, such as the

I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra I Musici de Montréal is a Canadian chamber orchestra, founded in 1984 by cellist and conductor Yuli Turovsky. About I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra has been sharing its passion for classical music for over 35 years. The 15 exceptional ...

and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir. Major Canadian opera companies such as the

Canadian Opera Company The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and one of the largest producers of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Cen ...

have nurtured the talents of Canadian opera singers such as

Maureen Forrester Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, (July 25, 1930 – June 16, 2010) was a Canadian operatic contralto. Life and career Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in Montreal, Quebec, one of four children of Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetma ...

Ben Heppner Thomas Bernard Heppner (born January 14, 1956) is a Canadian tenor and broadcaster, now retired from singing, who specialized in opera and other classical works for voice. Early life and career Heppner, of Mennonite descent, was born in Mur ...

, and

Jon Vickers Jonathan Stewart Vickers, (October 29, 1926 – July 10, 2015), known professionally as Jon Vickers, was a Canadian heldentenor. Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he was the sixth in a family of eight children. In 1950, he was awarded a sc ...

. Well-known Canadian musicians include pianist

Glenn Gould Glenn Herbert Gould (; né Gold; September 25, 1932October 4, 1982) was a Canadian classical pianist. He was one of the most famous and celebrated pianists of the 20th century, and was renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard works of Johann ...

; violinist

James Ehnes James Ehnes, (born January 27, 1976) is a Canadian concert violinist and violist. Life and career Ehnes was born in Brandon, Manitoba, the son of Alan Ehnes, long time trumpet professor at Brandon University (Canada), and Barbara Withey Ehnes, fo ...

; pianist

Jan Lisiecki Jan Lisiecki (; born March 23, 1995) is a Canadian-born classical pianist of Polish ancestry. Lisiecki performs over a hundred concerts annually and has worked closely with the world's leading orchestras and conductors, his career at the top of ...

; conductor

Yannick Nézet-Séguin Yannick Nézet-Séguin, CC (; born Yannick Séguin;David Patrick Stearns, "Nezet-Seguin signs Philadelphia Orchestra contract". ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', 19 June 2010. 6 March 1975) is a Canadian ( Québécois) conductor and pianist. He i ...

; flautist Timothy Hutchins; and composers

Claude Vivier Claude Vivier ( ; baptised as Claude Roger; 14 April 19487 March 1983) was a Canadian contemporary composer, pianist, poet and ethnomusicologist of Québécois origin. After studying with Karlheinz Stockhausen in Cologne, Vivier became an i ...

R. Murray Schafer Raymond Murray Schafer (18 July 1933 – 14 August 2021) was a Canadian composer, writer, music educator, and environmentalist perhaps best known for his World Soundscape Project, concern for acoustic ecology, and his book ''The Tuning of the ...

and

Harry Somers Harry Stewart Somers, CC (September 11, 1925 – March 9, 1999) was a contemporary Canadian composer. Possessing a charismatic attitude and rather dashing good looks, as well as a genuine talent for his art, Somers earned the unofficial titl ...

. Well-known music schools include the

Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada) The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher as The Toronto Con ...

in Toronto and the

Schulich School of Music The Schulich School of Music (also known as Schulich) is one of the constituent faculties of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 555, rue Sherbrooke Ouest (555, Sherbrooke Street West). The faculty was named after benef ...

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

Opera and vocal

Opera singers

A number of Canadian singers who learned their craft in Canadian opera companies went on to sing in major international opera houses. Sallie Holman, principal singer, Holman Opera Troupe

Sallie Holman, principal singer, Holman Opera Troupe

The Holman Opera Troupe, which toured throughout Canada in the 1860s–1880s, were at separate periods, lessees of the London Opera House, the Royal Lyceum, Toronto, the Grand Opera House, Ottawa, and the Theatre Royal, Montreal. The troupe consisted of Mr. George Holman, his wife, his daughter

Sallie Holman Sallie Holman (June 24, 1849 – June 7, 1888) was a Canadian opera singer. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, ...

(soprano/principal singer) another daughter, and two sons, with some others, including William H. Crane and Sallie's husband Mr. J. T. Dalton.

Bertha May Crawford Bertha May Crawford (June 20, 1886 - May 26, 1937) was a Canadian opera singer. She built an international reputation as a lyric coloratura soprano in the early 20th century in eastern Europe, performing prima donna roles with opera companies in ...

(1886–1934), a coloratura soprano from Toronto, was probably the only Canadian singer of her era to achieve significant success performing in major opera houses in Russia and Poland during the First World War and through the 1920s. In the early 20th century, contralto singer

Portia White Portia May White (June 24, 1911February 13, 1968) was a Canadian contralto, known for becoming the first Black Canadian concert singer to achieve international fame. Growing up as part of her father's church choir in Halifax, Nova Scotia, White ...

(1911–1968) achieved international fame because of her voice and stage presence. As a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

of African descent, her popularity helped to open previously closed doors for talented blacks who followed. She has been declared "a person of national historic significance" by the Government of Canada. George London (1920–1985) was a Montreal-born concert and operatic bass-baritone. From 1975 until 1980 he was general director of the Washington Opera.

Pierrette Alarie Pierrette Alarie, (November 9, 1921 – July 10, 2011) was a French Canadian coloratura soprano. She was married to the French-Canadian tenor Léopold Simoneau. Life and career Born in Montreal, Quebec, Alarie was the daughter of a choirmast ...

1921, is a French-Canadian coloratura soprano.

Lois Marshall Lois Catherine Marshall, CC (January 29, 1924 – February 19, 1997) was a Canadian soprano. Her husband, Weldon Kilburn, had been her early coach and piano accompanist. Early life and studies; awards Born in Toronto, Ontario, Marshall "began ...

(1924–1997) was a Canadian soprano who was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1967. She was both a concert and recital singer, first as a soprano and later as a mezzo-soprano.

Louis Quilico Louis Quilico, (January 14, 1925 – July 15, 2000) was a Canadian opera singer. One of the leading dramatic baritones of his day, he was an ideal interpreter of the great Italian and French composers, especially Giuseppe Verdi. He was ofte ...

(1925–2000) was a Canadian baritone, known as "Mr Rigoletto." In Canada, Quilico performed regularly with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, and throughout the 1970s he performed in opera companies in the United States. Quilico's contemporary

(born 1926) is a tenor born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, who joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1960. A powerful "heldentenor", he became known for his German- and Italian-language roles.

(1930–2010) was a Canadian operatic contralto known for her performances of Mahler and for her great stamina onstage.

Victor Braun Victor Conrad Braun (August 4, 1935 – January 6, 2001) was a Canadian baritone who had a major international performance career in concerts and operas that lasted more than 40 years. While he was an accomplished performer of the standard o ...

(1935–2001) was a Canadian-born operatic baritone who performed at major opera houses from Europe and North America. His contemporary

Teresa Stratas Teresa Stratas (born May 26, 1938) is a retired operatic soprano from Canada of Greek descent. She is especially well known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's ''Lulu''. Early life and career Stratas was born Anastasia Stratakis to ...

(born 1938) is a soprano who had a 36-year career at the Metropolitan Opera.

Judith Forst Judith Doris Forst (''née'' Lumb) (born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian mezzo-soprano. Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, she received a Bachelor of Music from the University of British Columbia in 1964. She is the sister-in-law of ...

(born 1943) is a Canadian mezzo-soprano who was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1991.

Richard Margison Richard Charles Margison, OC (born 16 July 1953) is a Canadian operatic tenor and lives in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada. Background Margison began his career in Victoria, BC, where, he sang folk songs in the coffeehouses and clubs. He appeared ...

(born 1953) is an operatic tenor who was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2001 and lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Gino Quilico Gino Quilico OC (born April 29, 1955) is a Canadian operatic baritone. Quilico was born in Flushing, New York City in 1955, the son of baritone Louis Quilico and pianist Lina Pizzolongo. He studied at the University of Toronto Opera School ...

(born 1955) is a lyric baritone of Italian descent and the son of Canadian baritone Louis Quilico and Lina Pizzolongo.

(born 1956) is a tenor, specializing in opera and classical symphonic works for voice. performs frequently with major opera companies in the United States and Europe, as well as concert appearances with major symphony orchestras.

Gerald Finley Gerald Hunter Finley, (born January 30, 1960) is a Canadian baritone opera singer. Early life Finley was born in Montreal and studied music at St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Ottawa, the University of Ottawa, King's College, Cambridge and the R ...

(born 1960) is a bass-baritone opera singer. renowned for his interpretations of Mozart roles

Michael Schade Michael Schade (born 23 January 1965) is a Canadian operatic tenor, who was born in Geneva and raised in Germany and Canada. He and his wife Dee McKee, and their youngest child live in Vienna, Austria; the rest of the family lives in Canada. ...

(born 1965) is a Canadian operatic tenor, who was born in Geneva and raised in Germany and Canada; he is known as a "Mozart tenor".

Russell Braun Russell Braun (born 19 July 1965) is a Canadian operatic lyric baritone and Juno Award winner. Much sought-after as a soloist and for opera roles, Russell Braun performs regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, the Salzburg Festival, the Lyric O ...

(born 1965) is an operatic lyric baritone, who is the son of baritone Victor Braun.

Isabel Bayrakdarian Isabel Bayrakdarian ( arm, Իզապէլ Պայրագտարեան; born February 1, 1974) is a Lebanese-born Canadian operatic soprano of Armenian descent who now resides and works in the United States. Early life Born in Zahlé, Lebanon, into a ...

(born 1974) is an Armenian-Canadian opera singer who moved to Canada as a teenager.

James Westman James Westman (born September 16, 1972) is a Canadian baritone known for his interpretation of the Verdi, Puccini and bel canto operatic repertoire, and particularly his signature role of Germont in ''La traviata'', which he has sung in over 150 ...

(born 1972) is an operatic baritone, in his youth he was the first boy soprano to perform Gustav Mahler, 4th symphony with

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

Joni Henson Joni Henson (born May 31, 1977) is a Canadian operatic soprano who was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Henson's voice has been described as "thrilling and lilting" by Paula Citron of Opera Canada who says Henson "is clearly heading ...

(born 1977 in

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is at the St. Mary's River on the Canada–US border. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay. The Ojibwe, the indigenous Anishinaabe inhabitants of ...

) and

Measha Brueggergosman Measha Brueggergosman (née Gosman; June 28, 1977) is a Canadian soprano who performs both as an opera singer and concert artist. She has performed internationally and won numerous awards. Her recordings of both classical and popular music h ...

(born 1977 in Fredericton, New Brunswick) are both Sopranos that perform regularly both in concert and in fully staged Operas.

Opera companies

Opéra de Montréal LOpéra de Montréal is an opera company in Montreal, Canada. It performs at the Place des Arts theatre complex in downtown Montreal, in the borough of Ville-Marie. It was founded in 1980 as a company focused on productions in French. History ...

* Vancouver Opera *

Manitoba Opera Manitoba Opera is an opera company in Winnipeg, Manitoba that was founded in 1969. Its first production was a concert version of Giuseppe Verdi's ''Il Trovatore'' in 1972. Manitoba Opera is one of several western Canadian opera companies that f ...

Opera Atelier Opera Atelier is an opera company located in Toronto, Canada. It was founded in 1985 by husband and wife Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg. The company mounts baroque operas from the 17th and 18th centuries that are presented in ven ...

Opera in Concert Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a ...

br>
*

Opera Lyra Ottawa Opera Lyra Ottawa (OLO) was a non-profit professional opera company based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1984 by Canadian soprano Diana Gilchrist after the demise of the National Arts Centre's annual summer opera productions. The com ...

Calgary Opera Calgary Opera is a Canadian opera company based in Calgary, Alberta. The company has its administrative base at the Mamdani Opera Centre, a facility in the Wesley United Church, since July 2005. The company gives its seasonal mainstage productio ...

Edmonton Opera Edmonton Opera is a professional Canadian opera company in Edmonton, Alberta, which performs in the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium with its Opera Centre located at 15230 128 Ave in northwest Edmonton. The Opera Centre is home to a box office, ...

Opera Hamilton Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libretti ...

br>
*

Opéra de Québec Opéra de Québec or Opera of Quebec City is a Canadian opera company founded in 1983; it is related to Opéra de Montréal, founded in 1980. The company does not have its own venue but performs in the Grand Théâtre de Québec on 269 Boulevard ...

Pacific Opera Victoria Pacific Opera Victoria is located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It performs three full productions per season at Victoria's Royal Theatre accompanied by members of the Victoria Symphony. In their 2009/2010 season, Pacific Opera Victoria ...

Choirs

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is a Canadian large vocal ensemble based in Toronto, Ontario. It was co-founded in 1894 by Augustus S. Vogt and W. H. Hewlett to celebrate the opening of the Massey Hall. The ensemble was originally an extension of ...

*Amadeus Choir *

Nathaniel Dett Chorale The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is a Canadian choral group that specializes in Afrocentric music of all styles including classical, spirituals, gospel, jazz, folk and blues.Ottawa Bach Choir The Ottawa Bach Choir is a professional vocal ensemble from Ottawa, Canada founded and directed by Lisette Canton specialising in early music. Their album Handel: ''Dixit Dominus; Bach & Schütz: Motets (2019)'' won a Juno Award for Classical Albu ...

Theatre of Early Music The Theatre of Early Music is a choir and Baroque instrumental ensemble based in Montreal, and later in Toronto. It is conducted by Daniel Taylor. The group performs and records early sacred music. One of the group's better known pieces is ''Sta ...

Ensembles and performers

Orchestras and ensembles

Symphony orchestras: *

Victoria Symphony The Victoria Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Victoria, British Columbia. It is considered Vancouver Island's best-known active performing arts organization. Currently conducted by Danish conductor Christian Kluxen, the orchestra consists o ...

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The VSO performs at the Orpheum, which has been the orchestra's permanent home since 1977. With an annual operating budget of $16 million, it is ...

Calgary Philharmonic The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The orchestra gives the majority of its performances in the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons. It is also the resident orchestra for the Calgary Opera, A ...

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Edmonton, Alberta. As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city it presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to co ...

Saskatoon Symphony The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is a professional orchestra based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan administered by the non-profit Saskatoon Symphony Society. The orchestra was founded in 1927 as an amateur orchestra, but today has 10 core member ...

Regina Symphony Orchestra The Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) was founded by Frank Laubach, in Regina, Saskatchewan, as the ''Regina Orchestral Society'' in 1908, giving its inaugural concert December 3 of that same year. Becoming the ''Regina Choral and Orchestral Societ ...

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Its primary concert venue is the Centennial Concert Hall, and the orchestra also performs throughout the province of Manitoba. The WSO presents an averag ...

Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO) is a Canadian professional orchestra based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. History Founded on 29 November 1960, the Lakehead Symphony Orchestra made its debut at the Lakeview High School auditorium.Tronrud, Tho ...

Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo (KWC or Tri-Cities), and the townships of North Dumfr ...

Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Hamilton, Ontario. The orchestra gives concerts primarily at the FirstOntario Concert Hall. History The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1949. Its first c ...

National Arts Centre Orchestra The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NAC Orchestra) is a Canadian orchestra based in Ottawa, Ontario led by music director Alexander Shelley. The NAC Orchestra's primary concert venue is Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre. Since its incept ...

*Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal *

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (french: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, or OSM) is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The orchestra’s home is the Montreal Symphony House at Place des Arts. It is the only orch ...

(Montreal Symphony Orchestra) * Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (Quebec Symphony Orchestra) *

Symphony New Brunswick Symphony New Brunswick is the largest classical music organization in the province of New Brunswick. It is based in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The orchestra was founded in 1983 following the demise of the Halifax-based Atlantic Symphony Orc ...

Symphony Nova Scotia Symphony Nova Scotia is a Canadian orchestra based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their primary recital space is at the Dalhousie Arts Centre's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. History Symphony Nova Scotia began in 1983 with 13 full-time musicians ...

Community orchestras: *

Oakville Symphony Orchestra The Oakville Symphony is a Canadian orchestra performing in Oakville, Ontario. History The Oakville Symphony was founded in 1967 by Kenneth Hollier, a local musician and educator with the original mission statement to “make music for the ple ...

Ottawa Symphony Orchestra The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (OSO) is a full size orchestra in Ottawa, Canada, including professional, student and amateur musicians. With around 100 musicians, the OSO is Ottawa's largest orchestra, which allows it to perform large symphonic rep ...

Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra The Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra (PEISO) is a community orchestra based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Founded in 1967, the orchestra consists of professional, amateur, and student musicians, and is led by conductor Mar ...

Baroque orchestras and chamber ensembles: *

Amati Quartet The Amati Quartet was a string quartet, associated with the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The ensemble performed with four instruments made by the Amati family of luthiers, of Cremona Italy. Instruments The Univer ...

New Orford String Quartet The New Orford String Quartet is a Canadian string quartet formed in July 2009. It is one of Canada's premiere chamber ensembles. The name honours the Orford Arts Centre in the province of Quebec, where the ensemble gave its first public concert, a ...

Quatuor Bozzini The Quatuor Bozzini is a string quartet that specializes in new and experimental music based in Montreal, Canada. Since 1999, Quatuor Bozzini has been an original voice in new, experimental and classical music. Their skew is radically contemporar ...

Canadian Brass The Canadian Brass is a Canadian brass quintet formed in 1970 in Toronto, Ontario, by Charles Daellenbach (tuba) and Gene Watts (trombone), with horn player Graeme Page and trumpeters Stuart Laughton and Bill Phillips completing the quintet. ...

* Canadian Chamber Ensemble *

Les Violons du Roy Les Violons du Roy is a French-Canadian chamber orchestra based in Quebec City, Quebec. The orchestra's principal venue is the Palais Montcalm in Québec City. The orchestra also performs concerts in Montréal at the Place des Arts, the Montrea ...

Tafelmusik Tafelmusik (German: literally, "table-music") is a term used since the mid-16th century for music played at feasts and banquets. Table music could be either instrumental, vocal, or both. As might be expected, it was often of a somewhat lighter ...

Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir *

Quartetto Gelato Quartetto Gelato is a Canadian European classical music, classical crossover quartet with current members Colin Maier, Matti Pulkki, Kirk Starkey, and Tino Popovic, and based in Hamilton, Ontario. Their musical repertoire consists of a mix of cl ...

Manitoba Chamber Orchestra The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (MCO) is a chamber orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It offers an annual subscription series at Westminster United Church, which regularly features Canada's leading soloists, such as James Ehnes and Meash ...

Instrumentalists

Pianists

Alberto Guerrero Antonio Alberto García Guerrero (February 6, 1886November 7, 1959) was a Chilean composer, pianist, and teacher. While he is most famously remembered as the mentor of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, García influenced several generations of musicia ...

(1886–1959) was a Chilean-Canadian composer, pianist, and teacher whose students included

and

Jon Kimura Parker Jon Kimura Parker (born 25 December 1959) is a Canadian pianist. Early life and education Jon Kimura Parker was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the son of Keiko Parker and John Parker. He began his studies with his uncle, Edward P ...

(1932–1982) was noted for his recordings of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, his technical proficiency, unorthodox musical philosophy, and eccentric personality and piano technique. Zeyda Ruga

Suzuki is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...

(born 1943,

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

) is a Cuban-Canadian classical pianist and

Juno Award The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall o ...

nominee.

Dang Thai Son Dang may refer to: Music * "Dang!" (song), a 2015 song by Mac Miller from ''The Divine Feminine'' * "Dang!", a 2018 song by GreatGuys from ''Trigger'' People * Dang (surname) with origins in both Asiatic and Indo-European languages * Dang, a ...

(born 1958, Hanoi, Vietnam) is a classical pianist known for being the first Asian pianist to win the International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in 1980. He remains a well-known Chopin interpreter, and now resides in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Naida Cole Naida Margaret Cole (born October 28, 1974 in Durham, North Carolina, U.S.) is a Canadian-American concert pianist who left a successful career as a recording artist and touring musician in 2007 to pursue medicine, studying at the Warren Alpert M ...

(born 1974) has recorded music by Fauré, Chabrier, Satie and Ravel.

Wonny Song Wonny Song (born 1978) is a Canadian pianist. Biography Song was born in South Korea and grew up in Montreal. He began piano studies at the age of eight and received a full scholarship to Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music in 1994. He ...

Korean-Canadian pianist and professor. First Prize winner at the 2005 Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York, Prix d'Europe 2003, and winner of the Minnesota Orchestra's WAMSO Competition. Kenneth G Mills

Steve Barakatt Steve Barakatt (born May 17, 1973) is a Canadian composer, music producer, pianist, singer and creative director. He was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 2020 and he is a former National Ambassador of UNICEF Canada. Early years ...

Marc-André Hamelin Marc-André Hamelin, OC, CQ (born September 5, 1961), is a Canadian virtuoso pianist and composer. Hamelin is recognized worldwide for the originality and technical proficiency of his performances of the classic repertoire. He has received 11 ...

Angela Hewitt Angela Hewitt, (born July 26, 1958) is a Canadian classical pianist. She is best known for her Bach interpretations. Career Hewitt was born in Ottawa, Ontario, daughter of the Yorkshire-born Godfrey Hewitt (thus she also has British nationality ...

Anton Kuerti Anton Emil Kuerti, OC (born July 21, 1938) is an Austrian-born Canadian pianist, music teacher, composer, and conductor. He has developed international recognition as a solo pianist.Lee Kum-Sing Lee Kum-Sing () is a Canadian classical pianist and piano pedagogue originally from Sumatra. Biography Lee Kum-Sing studied with Gerhard Puchelt and Hans Richter-Haaser in Berlin and with Julius Katchen and Magda Tagliaferro in Paris. He ...

Louis Lortie Louis Lortie, OC, CQ (born 27 April 1959) is a Canadian ( Québécois) pianist. Education Born in Montreal, Lortie made his debut with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra at the age of thirteen and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra three years l ...

Harold Bradley (pianist) James Harold Bradley (Mar 4, 1906 – Nov. 10, 1984), was a pianist and the Founder and Principal of the Bradley Institute for Music Education Research. Early life Bradley was the only son of James Clark Bradley, a grocery store owner in Ni ...

Kenneth G. Mills Kenneth George Mills (January 25, 1923 – October 8, 2004) was a Canadian metaphysical/philosophical speaker and author. An exponent of the oral tradition, he gave spontaneous lectures and poetry for over 37 years. At the same time, he became not ...

Christina Petrowska Quilico Christina Petrowska Quilico (born December 30, 1948) is a Canadian pianist. She is a professor emerita, senior scholar at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2020 “For her celebrated career ...

*Giancarlo Scalia *

*Zeyda Ruga Suzuki

Violinists

Canadian violinists: *

Martin Beaver Martin Beaver (born 10 November 1967) is a Canadian violinist best known as first violinist of the Tokyo String Quartet. Beaver joined the Tokyo String Quartet as its first violinist in 2002 and remained until they disbanded in 2013. As a part ...

Alexandre Da Costa Alexandre Da Costa is a Canadian concert violinist and conductor from Montreal, Quebec. He is the artistic director of the ''Orchestre Symphonique De Longueuil''. Education Da Costa has a bachelor's degree in performance (piano) from the Facul ...

Angèle Dubeau Angèle Dubeau, (born 24 March 1962) is a Canadian classical violinist. She has devoted a large part of her career to making classical music accessible to a wide audience, but also frequently plays works by contemporary composers. Early life ...

Chantal Juillet Chantal Juillet, (born December 19, 1960) is a Canadian violinist. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Juillet won all the major Canadian music competitions in her category by the age of 16 and was launched into international renown when she recei ...

Moshe Hammer Moshe Hammer ( he, משה המר; born on 29 March 1946) is an Israeli-Canadian violinist. He was born in Budapest, raised in Israel, and became a Canadian citizen in the year 1975. He studied at the Rubin Academy of Music at the University of ...

Susanne Hou Yi-Jia Susanne Hou (, b. , Shanghai, China) is a Canadian violinist. Born in Shanghai and raised in Mississauga, Hou grew up in a musical family. At the age of nine, she studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She went on to attend The J ...

Catherine Manoukian Catherine Manoukian (born June 2, 1981) is an Armenian-Canadian violinist. Biography Background and early life Catherine Manoukian was born in Toronto. Her parents were professional violinists and met at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where ...

Peter Oundjian Peter Oundjian (born 21 December 1955) is a Canadian-American violinist and conductor. Early life Born in Toronto, Ontario, as the youngest of five children from an Armenian father and English mother, Oundjian also claims Scottish ancestry throug ...

* Walter Prystawski *

Erika Raum Erika Raum is a Canadian violinist. Biography Raum began playing professionally at age 12. She took first place at the 1992 Joseph Szigeti International Violin Competition in Budapest as well as the award for best interpretation of a Mozart c ...

Lara St. John Lara St. John (born April 15, 1971) is a Canadian violinist. Early life Lara St. John was born in London, Ontario, and spent her early childhood there.John Terauds, "Violinist Lara St. John Keeps Herself Guessing," ''Toronto Star'', October 22, ...

Scott St. John Scott St. John (born in , Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian violinist and violist. A recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant, he was a member of the St. Lawrence String Quartet and on the faculty of Stanford University, where he taught violin an ...

Steven Staryk Steven Sam Staryk, OC (born 27 April 1932) is a Canadian violin virtuoso. He had a distinguished solo career and was concertmaster of several major orchestras, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Concertgeb ...

Harold Sumberg Harold Sumberg (August 25, 1905 – January 6, 1994) was an American-born Canadian violinist, teacher, conductor, and adjudicator. Born in Rochester, New York, he studied violin with Carl Markees, Henry Holst, and Willy Hess at the Hochschu ...

Ralitsa Tcholakova Ralitsa Tcholakova is a Canadian violinist with Bulgarian roots. Early life Tcholakova obtained a Master's degree from the State Academy of Music in Bulgaria, and a Diploma from the Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. She h ...

Non-Canadian violinists within the Canadian music community: *

Jacques Israelievitch Jacques Israelievitch, CM (May 6, 1948 – September 5, 2015) was a French violinist, and one of Canada's foremost chamber musicians. Born in Cannes, France, at 11 years old he was the youngest graduate in the history of the Le Mans Conservatory ...

* Hidetaro Suzuki *

Pinchas Zukerman Pinchas Zukerman ( he, פנחס צוקרמן, born 16 July 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor. Life and career Zukerman was born in Tel Aviv, to Jewish parents and Holocaust survivors Yehuda and Miriam Lieberman Zuk ...

Other instrumentalists

Other string players include violist

Rivka Golani Rivka Golani ( he, רבקה גולני , born 22 March 1946) is a world–renowned Israeli-born viola player. She has performed as soloist with many orchestras throughout the world including the Boston Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Royal Conce ...

and cellists

Donald Whitton Donald Richard "Don" Whitton (August 2, 1923 – April 26, 2018) was a Canadian concert cellist, recording musician, and teacher, with a professional career in music spanning over 50 years. Biography Whitton was born in London, Ontario, Canada i ...

(a founding member of NACO), Ottawa-based chamber musician

Julian Armour Julian Armour, (born 29 September 1960 in Missoula, MT) is a Canadian cellist and artistic director. Armour is married to violist Guylaine Lemaire. He is the son of the philosopher Leslie Armour. Early life and education Shortly after his b ...

(also a chamber music festival organizer), and soloist

Ofra Harnoy Ofra Harnoy ( he, עופרה הרנוי; born January 31, 1965) is an Israeli-Canadian cellist. She is a Member of the Order of Canada. By joining the international artists roster of RCA Victor Red Seal, Harnoy became the first Canadian classic ...

. Well-known wind players include bassoonists such as

William Douglas William Douglas may refer to: Earls of Douglas *William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (c. 1327–1384), Scottish magnate *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (c. 1424–1440), Scottish nobleman *William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas (1425–1452) ...

and Nadina Mackie Jackson; flautists Timothy Hutchins and

Alexander Zonjic Alexander Zonjic (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар Зоњић; born April 30, 1951) is a flutist born in Windsor, Ontario, who performs both light jazz and classical compositions in the United States, based in Detroit, Michigan. He is the s ...

; and oboists such as

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

and

Marc Rogers Marc Rogers is a Canadian acoustic and electric bassist. Career Rogers studied at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he was a member of the One O'Clock Lab Band directed by Neil Slater. He is a member of the band The Philos ...

. Notable Canadian organists include Eric Robertson,

Gerald Bales Gerald Albert Bales, (May 12, 1919 – July 4, 2002) was a Canadian organist and composer. ...

François Brassard François Joseph Brassard (6 October 1908 Métabetchouan – 26 April 1976 Quebec City) was a Canadian ethnomusicologist, organist, composer and music teacher. Brassard studied piano with Rolland-Georges Gingras, organ with Omer Létourneau an ...

, and

Healey Willan James Healey Willan (12 October 1880 – 16 February 1968) was an Anglo-Canadian organist and composer. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and pia ...

. There are also several well-known Canadian organ builders, including

Casavant Frères Casavant Frères is a Canadian organ building company in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, which has been building pipe organs since 1879. As of 2014, the company has produced more than 3,900 organs. Company history Brothers Joseph-Claver (1855–1933 ...

and

Gabriel Kney Gabriel Kney (born 21 November 1929) is a Canadian builder of pipe organs based in London, Ontario. Kney was born in Speyer, Germany. At the age of 15, he apprenticed to Paul Sattel of Speyer to become an organ builder, and concurrently studied org ...

. Two classical guitarists from Canada have become well known:

Liona Boyd Liona Maria Carolynne Boyd, (born 11 July 1949) is a classical guitarist often referred to as the First Lady of the Guitar. Music career Early years Boyd was born in London and grew up in Toronto. Her father grew up in Bilbao, Spain, and her ...

and

Norbert Kraft Norbert Kraft (born 21 August 1950) is a Canadian guitarist, music teacher, producer and arranger. Life Born in Linz, Austria, Kraft's family emigrated to Canada in 1954. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music at Toronto with Carl van Feggel ...

. Well-known brass players from Canada include

Jens Lindemann Jens Lindemann (born 1966) is a German-born Canadian trumpet soloist of Polish Jewish heritage now based in Los Angeles. He is the first classical brass soloist to be awarded the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. He played ...

(trumpet),

James Sommerville James Sommerville is a Canadian orchestral hornist and conductor. He was the current principal hornist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and former Conductor and Music Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic, in Hamilton, Ontario.

(horn) and

Alain Trudel Alain Trudel (born 13 June 1966) is a Canadian conductor, trombonist and composer. Biography Born in Montreal, Quebec, Trudel first became known to the public as a trombone soloist. He made his solo debut at the age of 18, with Charles Dutoit a ...

(trombone).

Composers

* Robert Aitken *

István Anhalt István Anhalt, (April 12, 1919 – February 24, 2012) was a Hungarian-Canadian composer. Anhalt served as a professor of music at McGill University and founded the McGill University Electronic Music Studio. He also served as head of music at ...

Louis Applebaum Louis Applebaum (April 3, 1918April 19, 2000) was a Canadian film score composer, administrator, and conductor. Early life He was born in Toronto, Ontario, and studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music with Leo Smith and the University ...

Violet Archer Violet Louise Archer (24 April 191321 February 2000) was a Canadian composer, teacher, pianist, organist, and percussionist. Born Violet Balestreri in Montreal, Quebec, in 1913, her family changed their name to Archer in 1940. She died in Ottawa ...

Michael Conway Baker Michael Conway Baker (born March 13, 1937) is a Canadian composer and music educator of American birth. He became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1970 and has lived more or less continuously in the Vancouver area since. Life and career Baker wa ...

* John Beckwith *

Denys Bouliane Denys Bouliane (born May 8, 1955) is a Canadian composer and conductor. He is a Professor of Composition at McGill University. Early life and education Bouliane was born in Grand-Mère, Quebec. He is a graduate of Laval University (B.Mus 197 ...

John Burge John David Bryson Burge (born 2 January 1961) is a Canadian composer, music educator, and pianist. He has won a number of awards for his compositions, including the Alberta Culture Award (1982), the William Erving Fairclough Scholarship (198 ...

* Pat Carrabré *

Brian Cherney Brian Cherney (born 1942) is a Canadian composer currently residing in Montreal, Quebec. Cherney was born in Peterborough, Ontario. He studied at the University of Toronto where he was a pupil of John Weinzweig, Samuel Dolin, and John Be ...

Eleanor Joanne Daley Eleanor Joanne Daley (born April 21, 1955) is a Canadian composer of choral and church music, a church choir director, choral clinician and accompanist. She lives and works in Toronto, Ontario. Among her best-known works are ''The Rose Trilo ...

Victor Davies Victor Albert Davies is a Canadian composer, pianist, and conductor, best known for his opera '' Transit of Venus'' and '' The Mennonite Piano Concerto''. Biography Davies was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1939. As a child and teenager, h ...

R. Nathaniel Dett Robert Nathaniel Dett (October 11, 1882 – October 2, 1943), often known as R. Nathaniel Dett and Nathaniel Dett, was a Black Canadian-American composer, organist, pianist, choral director, and music professor. Born and raised in Canada until ...

Airat Ichmouratov Airat Rafailovich Ichmouratov (russian: Айрат Рафаилович Ишмуратов, Tatar Cyrillic: Айрат Рафаил улы Ишмурат,) born 28 June 1973) is a Volga Tatar born Russian / Canadian composer , conductor and klez ...

John Estacio John Estacio (born April 8, 1966) is a contemporary Canadian composer of opera, orchestral and choral music. __TOC__ Life and career Estacio was born in Newmarket, Ontario. Raised in the farming community of the Holland Marsh, Ontario, Estacio t ...

Gordon Fitzell Gordon Fitzell (born 1968) is a composer, concert organizer, and professor of music. His catalog consists of solo, chamber, and electroacoustic music, including open and improvisatory works. Biography Born and raised in Portage la Prairie, Mani ...

Malcolm Forsyth Malcolm Forsyth, (December 8, 1936 – July 5, 2011) was a South African and Canadian trombonist and composer. His daughter is former National Arts Centre Orchestra principal cellist Amanda Forsyth. Life and career Forsyth was born in Piete ...

André Gagnon André Gagnon (2 August 1936 – 3 December 2020) was a Canadian pianist, composer, conductor, arranger, and actor, known for his fusion of classical and pop styles,Jean-Pierre Thiollet, ''88 notes pour piano solo'', Neva Editions, 2015, p.16 ...

Steven Gellman Steven Gellman (born 16 September 1947) is a Canadian composer and pianist. He has been commissioned to write works for the Besançon International Music Festival, the CBC Symphony Orchestra, the Hamilton Philharmonic, McGill University, Musica ...

* Peter Hannan *Stephen Hatfield *

Christos Hatzis Christos Hatzis ( el, Χρήστος Χατζής; born 1953) is a Juno Award-winning Greek-Canadian composer. Many of his compositions are performed internationally, and he is a professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. Early l ...

Gary Kulesha Gary Kulesha (born 22 August 1954) is a Canadian composer, pianist, conductor, and educator. Since 1995, he has been Composer Advisor to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He has been Composer-in-Residence with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (1988� ...

Rachel Laurin ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available for ...

Alexina Louie Alexina Diane Louie, (born July 30, 1949) is a Canadian composer of contemporary art music. She has composed for various instrumental and vocal combinations in a variety of genres. She has fulfilled a number of commissions, and her works, whic ...

Hummie Mann Hummie Mann (born October 29, 1955) is a Canadian-born American film score composer. His credits include the Mel Brooks films '' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' and '' Dracula: Dead and Loving It''. Mann was awarded an Emmy for arranging Billy Crys ...

Bruce Mather Bruce Mather (born May 9, 1939) is a Canadian composer, pianist, and writer who is particularly known for his contributions to contemporary classical music. One of the most notable composers of microtonal music, he was awarded the Jules Léger P ...

Oskar Morawetz Oskar Morawetz, (January 17, 1917 – June 13, 2007) was a Canadian composer. Biography Morawetz was born in Světlá nad Sázavou, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic). He studied piano and theory in Prague and, following the Nazi take ...

Marjan Mozetich Marjan Mozetich (born 1948) is a Canadian composer who has written music for theatre, film and dance, as well as many symphonic works, chamber music, and solo pieces. He has written compulsory competition pieces for the 1992 Banff String Quarte ...

Owen Pallett Michael James Owen Pallett (born September 7, 1979) is a Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist. Under their erstwhile moniker of Final Fantasy, Pallett won the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the album '' He Poos Clouds''. Palle ...

Randolph Peters Randolph Peters (born 28 December 1959) is a Canadian composer who is known for his output of roughly 100 film scores made mostly for Canadian films. Early life and education Peters was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He graduated from the Universi ...

Imant Raminsh Imant Karlis Raminsh ( Latvian: Imants Kārlis Ramiņš, born 18 September 1943) is a Canadian composer of Latvian descent, best known for his choral compositions. He resides in Coldstream, British Columbia. Early life and education Born ...

* John Rea *

Godfrey Ridout Godfrey Ridout (6 May 1918 in Toronto – 24 November 1984 in Toronto) was a Canadian composer, conductor, music educator, and writer. Life and career Ridout was a descendant of Thomas Ridout, the first Surveyor General of Upper Canada during ...

John Robertson John, Jon, or Jonathan Robertson may refer to: Politicians United Kingdom politicians *J. M. Robertson (John Mackinnon Robertson, 1856–1933), British journalist and Liberal MP for Tyneside 1906–1918 *John Robertson (Bothwell MP) (1867–1926), ...

James Rolfe James D. Rolfe (born July 10, 1980) is an American YouTuber, online personality, filmmaker, and actor. He is best known for creating and starring in the comedic retrogaming web series ''The Angry Video Game Nerd'' (2004–present). His spin-off ...

* George Ross *

Vahram Sargsyan Vahram Sargsyan (alternate transliterations include Sarkissian or Sargissian, Armenian: Վահրամ Սարգսյան; born 28 May 1981, Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian Canadian composer, choral conductor and experimental vocalist currently livi ...

*Giancarlo Scalia *

Howard Shore Howard Leslie Shore (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer and conductor noted for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for ''The Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Hobbit'' film trilogies. ...

*Mark Sirett *

Donald Steven Donald Steven (born 26 May 1945) is a Canadian-American composer, music educator, and academic administrator. An associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre, he won a BMI Student Composer Award in 1970, the Canadian Federation of University ...

John Weinzweig John Jacob Weinzweig, (March 11, 1913 – August 24, 2006) was a Canadian composer of classical music. Weinzweig was born in Toronto. He went to Harbord Collegiate Institute, and studied music at the university. In 1937, he left for the United ...

Conductors

Canadian conductors

Raffi Armenian Raffi Armenian, (born June 4, 1942) is a Canadian conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher. He directed the Kitchener–Waterloo Symphony orchestra for many years. Since 1999 he has been the director of Orchestral Studies at the University of T ...

(Canadian Chamber Ensemble) *

Mario Bernardi Mario Bernardi, (20 August 1930 – 2 June 2013) was a Canadian conductor and pianist.Boris Brott Boris Brott, (March 14, 1944 – April 5, 2022) was a Canadian conductor and motivational speaker. He was one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, having conducted on stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall and C ...

(National Academy Orchestra, McGill Chamber Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra) *

Bernard Labadie Bernard Labadie (born March 27, 1963) is a conductor of classical and baroque music, artistic director, and musical director. He was born in Quebec City, Canada and graduated from the School of Music at Laval University. During Labadie's education ...

(

and

La Chapelle de Québec LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

) *

Martin MacDonald Martin MacDonald (born ca 1977) is a Canadian conductor. Early life He was born on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, MacDonald is the youngest of 12 children, and started to play cello when he was six years old. He participated in the family's ...

(National Academy Orchestra) *Sir

Ernest MacMillan Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan, (August 18, 1893 – May 6, 1973) was a Canadian orchestral conductor, composer, organist, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician, from the ...

(Toronto Symphony) *

(Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal) *

(Toronto Symphony) *

Ivars Taurins Ivars is a Latvian masculine given name, derived from Scandinavian ''Ivar''. It also occurs as a surname in some cases. Given name * Ivars Godmanis (born 1951), Latvian politician *Ivars Hirss (1931–1989), Latvian-born American painter *Ivars ...

(Tafelmusik Chamber Choir) *

Wilfrid Pelletier Joseph Louis Wilfrid Pelletier (sometimes spelled Wilfred), (20 June 1896 – 9 April 1982) was a Canadian conductor, pianist, composer, and arts administrator. He was instrumental in establishing the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, serving a ...

(Quebec Symphony Orchestra) * Rosemary Thomson (Calgary Philharmonic, Canadian Opera Company) *

Tyrone Paterson Tyrone may refer to: * Kingdom of Tyrone or Tír Eoghain, a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland * County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland * Earl of Tyrone, a title in the Peerage of Ireland * Tyrone (name), a male given name Places Canada * Tyrone, O ...

(Manitoba Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa) * Dr

Lisette Canton Lisette may refer to: People: *Jean Lisette Aroeste (1932-2020), ''Star Trek'' fan who sold scripts to the program *Lisette de Brinon (1896–1982), the Jewish wife of the pro-Nazi French collaborator, Fernand de Brinon * Lisette Burrows, New Zeal ...

(the

Ottawa Bach Choir The Ottawa Bach Choir is a professional vocal ensemble from Ottawa, Canada founded and directed by Lisette Canton specialising in early music. Their album Handel: ''Dixit Dominus; Bach & Schütz: Motets (2019)'' won a Juno Award for Classical Albu ...

) * Timothy Vernon (Pacific Opera Victoria)

Conductors of other nationalities

Kazuyoshi Akiyama is a Japanese conductor. Biography Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo S ...

(Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) *

Karel Ančerl Karel Ančerl (11 April 1908 – 3 July 1973) was a Czechoslovak conductor and composer, renowned especially for his performances of contemporary music and for his interpretations of music by Czech composers. Ančerl was born into a prosper ...

(Toronto Symphony) *

Sergiu Comissiona Sergiu Comissiona (June 16, 1928 – March 5, 2005) was a Romanian- Israeli- American conductor and violinist. Biography Early life Born in Bucharest, Romania in a Jewish family, he began violin studies at the age of five, was hired as a violi ...

(Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) *Sir Andrew Davis (Toronto Symphony) *

Pierre Dervaux Pierre Dervaux (born 3 January 1917 in Juvisy-sur-Orge, France; died 20 February 1992 in Marseilles, France) was a French operatic conductor, composer, and pedagogue. At the Conservatoire de Paris, he studied counterpoint and harmony with Marce ...

(Orchestre Symphonique de Québec) *

Charles Dutoit Charles Édouard Dutoit (born 7 October 1936) is a Swiss conductor. He is currently the principal guest conductor for the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia and co-director of thMISA Festival in Shanghai In 2017, he became the 103rd recipient of thR ...

(Montreal Symphony Orchestra) *

William Eddins William Eddins (born December 9, 1964, Buffalo, New York) is an American pianist and conductor. He served as music director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra from 2005 until 2017. Eddins started playing piano at age 5 after his parents pu ...

(Edmonton Symphony Orchestra) *

John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life and career Born in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin, Ga ...

(CBC Radio Orchestra) *

Gunther Herbig Gundaharius or Gundahar (died 437), better known by his legendary names Gunther ( gmh, Gunther) or Gunnar ( non, Gunnarr), was a historical king of Burgundy in the early 5th century. Gundahar is attested as ruling his people shortly after they ...

(Toronto Symphony) *

Otto Klemperer Otto Nossan Klemperer (14 May 18856 July 1973) was a 20th-century conductor and composer, originally based in Germany, and then the US, Hungary and finally Britain. His early career was in opera houses, but he was later better known as a concer ...

(Montreal Symphony Orchestra) *

Luigi von Kunits Ludwig Paul Maria "Luigi" von Kunits (20 July 1870 – 8 October 1931) was a Canadian conductor, composer, violinist, and pedagogue. Born in Austria, he studied at the Vienna Conservatory. He later moved to Canada where he was the founding cond ...

(New Symphony Orchestra, precursor of the Toronto Symphony) *

Zubin Mehta Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mehta's father was the fou ...

(Montreal Symphony Orchestra) *

Alexander Mickelthwate Alexander Mickelthwate (born 2 June 1970 in Frankfurt, West Germany) is a German-born conductor who is the current music director and principal conductor of Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Early life and education He is one of three sons in his fami ...

(Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra) *

Kent Nagano Kent George Nagano GOQ, MSM (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and was Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 202 ...

(Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal) *

Seiji Ozawa Seiji (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , or in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese ski jumper *, Japanese racing driver *, Japanese politician *, Japanese film directo ...

(Toronto Symphony) *

Trevor Pinnock Trevor David Pinnock (born 16 December 1946 in Canterbury, England) is a British harpsichordist and conductor. He is best known for his association with the period-performance orchestra The English Concert, which he helped found and directed ...

(National Arts Centre Orchestra) *

Jukka-Pekka Saraste Jukka-Pekka Saraste (born 22 April 1956) is a Finnish conductor and violinist. Biography Saraste was born in Heinola He was trained as a violinist. He later studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy with Jorma Panula in the same class as Esa-P ...

(Toronto Symphony) *

Walter Susskind Jan Walter Susskind (1 May 1913 – 25 March 1980) was a Czech-born British conductor, teacher and pianist. He began his career in his native Prague, and fled to Britain when Germany invaded the city in 1939. He worked for substantial periods in ...

(Toronto Symphony) *

Bramwell Tovey Bramwell Tovey (11 July 1953 – 12 July 2022) was a British conductor and composer. Life and career Tovey was educated at Ilford County High School, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of London. His formal music education was as ...

(Vancouver Symphony Orchestra)) *

(National Arts Centre Orchestra) *

Christian Kluxen Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρισ ...

(Victoria Symphony) *

Kees Bakels Kees Bakels (born 14 January 1945, in Amsterdam) is a Dutch Conducting, conductor. Bakels began his musical career as a violinist, and later studied conducting at the Amsterdam Conservatory and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. He ...

(Victoria Symphony)

Recording, broadcasting, and publishing

Record labels

Acoma CompanyAnalektaAtma ClassiqueCBC RecordsCentrediscsempreintes DIGITALesLeaf MusicMarquis ClassicsOpening Day Entertainment Group

Radio stations

Radio broadcasting of classical music in Canada is extremely limited. Historically, the primary source of classical music on Canadian radio was the national

CBC Radio 2 CBC Music (formerly known as CBC FM, CBC Stereo and CBC Radio 2) is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It used to concentrate on classical and jazz. In 2007 and 2008, the network transitioned towards ...

network, however that network has greatly reduced its classical music programming in favor of Canadian

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Funk ...

programming, with mainly "accessible" classical music available only five hours a day in the middle of the day. There are three commercial radio stations in Canada offering a classical music format: * CFMZ 96.3 FM,

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

/103.1 FM,

Cobourg Cobourg ( ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto and east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is ...

* CJPX 99.5 FM,

* CKCL Classic 107 FM

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

The community

CKUA The CKUA Radio Network is a Canadian donor-funded community radio network based in Edmonton, Alberta. Originally located on the campus of the University of Alberta in Edmonton (hence the UA of the call letters), it was the first public broadcaste ...

radio network in

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

and CFMU in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

also airs some classical music programming, as do some

campus radio Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produc ...

and

community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popul ...

stations. All radio stations in Canada are required by the

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; french: Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes, links=) is a public organization in Canada with mandate as a regulatory agency for broadcasti ...

(CRTC) to meet

Canadian content Canadian content (abbreviated CanCon, cancon or can-con; ) refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requirements, derived from the Broadcasting Act of Canada, that radio and television broadcasters (inclu ...

targets. For classical music stations, the requirement is 20% Canadian content.

Music publications

La Scena Musicale
magazine (Montreal)
Musical Toronto
magazine (Toronto)
The Wholenote
magazine (Toronto) *

Opera Canada ''Opera Canada'' is a quarterly music magazine published by Opera Canada Publications. It is the oldest continuously published arts magazine in Canada. It is an independent magazine separate from the Canadian Opera Association. Along with Opera ...

magazine *

Musicworks ''Musicworks'' is a Canadian avant-garde music magazine, launched in January 1978 by Andrew Timar ( editor-in-chief) and John Oswald (design and production). History The first 4 issues came as a supplement to ''Only Paper Today'', a Toronto ar ...

magazine

Schools, venues, and awards

Music schools

Most major Canadian universities offer some type of instruction in Classical music in

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of presc ...

programs of BA (Music) programs, either in a practical sense via training in instrumental or vocal performance or conducting, or in a theoretical or academic sense through the study of Classical music harmonic theory or history. Some universities in Canada also offer graduate degrees in music, such as the Master of Music (in instrumental or vocal performance), the Master of Arts in theory or musicology, or more rarely, through the PhD in music theory or musicology. The

in Toronto offers a comprehensive teaching method encompassing strict guidelines for ten grade levels. The ARCT and LRCT diplomas for Teachers or Performers is the culmination of all the grades which is also recognized worldwide. Comprehensive theory and history co-requisites are required to obtain a certificate. Many

Canadian provinces Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nort ...

recognize completion of higher levels of the curriculum, awarding students high school credits upon successful completion. The Royal Conservatory operates

The Glenn Gould School The Glenn Gould School is a centre for the training of professional musicians in performance at post-secondary and post-bachelor levels in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1987 and renamed in 1997 after the celebrated pianist, G ...

, a centre for professional training in classical music performance, a Community School, an educational initiative for public school teachers, a Young Artists Performance Academy, and it offers RCM Examinations. Some of Canada's most famous musicians studied at the Conservatory.

studied theory, organ and piano, graduating at age 12 in 1946 with an ARCT diploma, with highest honours.

and

were also Conservatory students. The

offers performance programs at McGill provide students with private lessons and performing opportunities in university ensembles, in addition to studies in the history and theory of music. The school also offers a three-year diploma of Licentiate in Music, an Artist Diploma program, and an Orchestral Training Program. McGill's Music Research Department offers B.Mus. programs in Composition, Theory, History, Music Education, Sound Recording, and Music Technology. The school has been ranked by ''

The Princeton Review The Princeton Review is an education services company providing tutoring, test preparation and admission resources for students. It was founded in 1981. and since that time has worked with over 400 million students. Services are delivered by 4 ...

'' as among the top ten

music school A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

s in the world.

Music venues

Concert halls with resident performing groups: *

Place des Arts Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road name ** Often ...

(Montreal) *

Montreal Symphony House The Montreal Symphony House (french: Maison symphonique de Montréal) is a concert hall in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Symphony House is located at the corner of De Maisonneuve Boulevard, de Maisonneuve Boulevard West and Saint Urbain S ...

(Montreal) *

Lambda School of Music and Fine Arts Lambda School of Music and Fine Arts is a bilingual school of music and fine arts and a venue for performances located in Pierrefonds-Roxboro in the West Island of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The languages of instruction are in English and Fren ...

(Montreal) *

Francis Winspear Centre for Music The Francis Winspear Centre for Music is a performing arts centre located in the downtown core of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Opened in 1997, it is the home of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The centre is named after Francis G. Winspear, who do ...

(Edmonton) *Jack Singer Concert Hall (Calgary Centre for Performing Arts) *

Centennial Concert Hall Centennial Concert Hall is a 2305-seat performing arts centre located at 555 Main Street in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, as part of the Manitoba Centennial Centre. The concert hall opened on March 25, 1968. It is the performing home of t ...

(Winnipeg) *

National Arts Centre The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre building. History The NAC was one of a number of p ...

(Ottawa) *

Sony Centre for the Arts Meridian Hall is a major performing arts venue in Toronto, Ontario, and it is the country's largest soft-seat theatre. The facility was constructed for the City of Toronto municipal government and is currently managed by TO Live, an arms-le ...

(Toronto) *

Four Seasons Centre The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is a 2,071-seat theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located at the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West, across from Osgoode Hall. The land on which it is located was a gif ...

(Toronto) *

Roy Thomson Hall Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located downtown in the city's entertainment district, it is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and the Toronto Defiant. Opened in 1982, its ...

(Toronto) *

Massey Hall Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1894, it is known for its outstanding acoustics and was the long-time hall of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. An intimate theatre, it was originally designed to seat ...

(Toronto) *

Koerner Hall The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher as The Toronto Con ...

(Toronto) *

Toronto Centre for the Arts The Meridian Arts Centre is a performing arts venue in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened on October 16, 1993, as the North York Performing Arts Centre and was designed by Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler for music ...

(Toronto) * Living Arts Centre (Mississauga) *

Queen Elizabeth Theatre The Queen Elizabeth Theatre is a performing arts venue in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Along with the Orpheum, Vancouver Playhouse, and thAnnex it is one of four facilities operated by the Vancouver Civic Theatres on behalf o ...

(Vancouver) *

Rebecca Cohn Auditorium The Dalhousie Arts Centre, at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, contains a number of theatres (including an outdoor rooftop theatre), Dalhousie Art Gallery, classrooms, and a sculpture garden. It remains the premier performing arts ve ...

(Halifax) *

Rose Theatre The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre (1576), the Curtain (1577), and the theatre at Newington Butts (c. 1580?) – and the first of several playhouses to be situated in Ba ...

(Brampton)

Awards and competitions

Glenn Gould Prize The Glenn Gould Prize is an international award bestowed by the Glenn Gould Foundation in memory of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. It is awarded every second year to a living individual for contributions that have enriched the human condition thro ...

Banff International String Quartet Competition
*

Montreal International Music Competition The Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM) is an elite-level competition for classical musicians who are interested in pursuing an international career as a professional concert artist. Established in 2001 by the late André Bourbeau an ...

/Concours international de musique de Montréal
Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition for the Performance of Canadian Music
Concours national de musique Eckhardt-Gramatté

(formerly, the John Robb Organ Competition) *

Kiwanis Music Festival The Kiwanis Music Festival movement consists of regional music competitions. These festivals are named after the Kiwanis service clubs which generally support the events in each community. Typically, musicians and speech arts performers at each fes ...

Opera Canada Awards
(The Rubbies) *Th
Montreal International Classical Guitar Festival and Competition
*

Juno Awards The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall o ...

Canadian Music CompetitionStandard Life Competition, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

Financing

Arts organizations in Canada are usually expected to raise 50% of their funding through ticket sales and/or fundraising campaigns that they organize and execute themselves. Another 25% is traditionally covered by corporate sponsorship. The remaining 25% is typically provided by three separate levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. Canadian arts organizations are constantly lobbying all three levels of government for a more prominent place in their budgets and must therefore compete with other public concerns such as health care and education.

References

External links

Canadian music periodicals
CMPI

Library and Archives Canada Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is t ...

opera.ca
An association of many Canadian opera companies.
chamberfest
Ottawa Chamber Music Society.

Brampton Symphony Orchestra

Rose Theatre, Brampton {{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Classical Music Classical music in Canada,

Opera and vocal

Opera singers

Opera companies

Choirs

Ensembles and performers

Orchestras and ensembles

Instrumentalists

Pianists

Violinists

Other instrumentalists

Composers

Conductors

Canadian conductors

Conductors of other nationalities

Recording, broadcasting, and publishing

Record labels

Radio stations

Music publications

Schools, venues, and awards

Music schools

Music venues

Awards and competitions

Financing

See also

References

External links