Claudia Krawchuk’s Love of Music
Claudia Krawchuk’s life was shaped by two powerful forces: music and determination. Long before she became a Chartered Accountant, long before she faced the profound challenges of multiple sclerosis, music had already taken root in her spirit.
Claudia’s enduring wish was to support the Faculty of Music. Terry Corcoran, her husband of 60 years, honoured that wish by establishing the Claudia Krawchuk Masterclass, supporting piano, violin and chamber music, and the Claudia Krawchuk Graduate Scholarship, awarded on the basis of merit to graduate students in piano or violin performance. Masterclasses play a transformative role in shaping our talented music students--offering artistic refinement, professional exposure, confidence and validation beyond regular lessons. Graduate awards allow students to focus on their education and spend less time working to pay for it.
Claudia’s story began in Larder Lake, Northern Ontario, where her parents and grandparents settled after immigrating from Ukraine. In that small gold-mining town, somewhere inside the Gold Field building, a piano waited. As a young girl, Claudia found it. After lessons, she would practice there, discovering in its keys a language that would sustain her for the rest of her life.
Claudia picked as Snow Queen at the annual Larder Lake Christmas event (1963).
At Kirkland Lake Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KLCVI), she expanded her musical world, briefly taking up the clarinet and playing in the school orchestra. Even as she excelled academically — graduating as valedictorian — music was never far from her identity. It was not simply an extracurricular interest; it was a lifelong companion in the making.
Claudia’s career began later in Montreal, where she took courses at McGill University prior to successfully passing exams to become a Chartered Accountant—now called a Certified Public Accountant. The Chartered Accountancy profession she chose was not yet welcoming to women. In the 1960s, only five per cent of accountants were women, described as early “pioneers” who slowly broke through the glass ceiling as far back as the 1930s. The 1970s, however, brought sweeping change, as “late pioneer” women surged into the profession. By 1985, more than 40 per cent of accountants were women.
Claudia as valedictorian on graduation from Kirkland Lake Collegiate Institute (1964).
Claudia was part of that wave. In Quebec in the 1970s, another barrier stood in the way: language. She and other new accountants were required to pass the province’s “connaissance de l’usage de la langue française” test. Though she did not speak French, Claudia worked diligently to master enough of the basics to succeed. The quiet discipline she had developed at the piano bench — persistence, patience, repetition — served her well.
Adventure also marked her early years. In 1970, she and her husband Terry Corcoran left their jobs to travel through Europe for six months, taking part-time work along the way. They set off again in 1976 on an eight-month journey across Asia — Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, India and Iran — embracing the world with curiosity and courage.
In the 1990s, multiple sclerosis entered her life. For the last 25 years of her life, she used a wheelchair to get around and had to abandon much of the adventurous travel she had once loved. Yet even as physical horizons narrowed, her musical world expanded.
Claudia Krawchuk and Terry Corcoran
Classical music had been a primary focus since her 20s, but in the wake of MS it became the foundation of her life. She attended concerts whenever possible, built a treasured CD collection and immersed herself in the vitality of live performance — especially chamber music and solo recitals.
Her commitment extended beyond listening. Claudia served as a part-time fundraiser and development employee for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and sat on the board of the Baroque Music by the Grange concert series. She later briefly served on the boards of Music Toronto and the Toronto Summer Music Festival. Through governance and advocacy, she helped sustain the institutions that brought great music to her community.
Even in the final weeks of her life, music moved her forward. Managing her power wheelchair she insisted on navigating subway stations and busy Toronto intersections to attend performances. Three days before her passing, she made her way to the St. Lawrence Centre to hear a Music Toronto recital by renowned Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin. It was exactly where she wanted to be: in the presence of live music.
Claudia’s legacy is that of a woman who never gave up. From a young girl practicing on a small-town piano, to a pioneering Chartered Accountant, to a devoted patron navigating city streets in a wheelchair to hear one more recital, music was the thread that ran through her entire life. It sustained her, strengthened her, and now — through the students her gifts will support — it will continue to resonate for generations to come.
Donors play an instrumental role in shaping the lives of our students, propelling their potential and empowering them to thrive in an ever-changing world. This gift stands as a testament to the profound impact philanthropy can have on music and the future of our students.
To honour her legacy, please join Terry Corcoran, in remembering his wife, the late Claudia Krawchuk by making a gift to a Faculty of Music area that is meaningful to you. Simply click the link to contribute. Making a gift is easy! - Donate Now.
Terry will also be leaving a bequest in support of the Claudia Krawchuk Masterclass and the Claudia Krawchuk Graduate Scholarship. Legacy giving is so important for the future of the University of Toronto, as it creates a lasting impact for generations to come.
To learn how to support masterclasses or scholarships—such as those inspired by Claudia Krawchuk—create your own scholarship, contribute to a specific music program, or leave a bequest, please contact Heather Yearwood, Associate Director Major Gifts heather.yearwood@utoronto.ca Office: 416-978-8545
