Visiting Artists & Scholars

The Visiting Artists & Scholars program at U of T Music provides our community with rich opportunities for interaction with the world's leading scholars, composers, and performers.

Students, faculty, the university community, and the general public look forward to exchanging ideas and sounds with visitors brought to U of T Music through one of our funded Distinguished Visitors programs.

Distinguished Visitors Programs

Louis Applebaum Distinguished Visitor in Film Composition

The Louis Applebaum Distinguished Visitor in Composition was established by Sandra and Joseph Rotman to honour the memory of the Canadian film composer Louis Applebaum (1918-2000). The inaugural visitor was U of T alumnus and 2013 Oscar winner Mychael Danna. Subsequent visitors included Paul Chirara, Richard Bellis, Lawrence Shragge, Richard Bronskill, Howard Shore and James W. Wright.

Roger D. Moore Distinguished Visitor in Composition

Established by Roger Moore, one of Toronto’s most ubiquitous supporters of new music projects, Moore Visitors have included Steve Reich, Krzystof Penderecki, Maria Schneider, Gabriel Prokofiev, Salvatore Sciarrino, Nicole Lizée, Toshio Hosokawa and André Mehmari. Due to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 and 2022 U of T New Music Festivals were held virtually and did not feature a single Moore Visitor. However, we were very pleased to host a number of distinguished artists at virtual Composers' Forums throughout the pandemic including Tania León, Cris Derksen, Michael Arnowitt and Ana Sokolovic. In 2023-24 the Faculty of Music welcomes Marjan Mozetich as the Moore visitor.

Wilma and Clifford Smith Visitor in Music

Established by the family of Wilma and Clifford Smith on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, the Smith Visitor provides annual funding for visits from international scholars and performers. Visitors have included percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, composer David Maslanka, conductor Victor Feldbrill, jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, writer Paul Griffiths, composer and music educator Rob Kapilow and conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. The Smith Visitor for 2022-23 was Seraph Brass.

John R. Stratton Visitor in Music

Named for a great collector of vocal music and historical recorded sound whose collection and trust is stewarded today by an even greater connoisseur Stephen Clarke, the Stratton Visitor brings distinguished specialists in the field of voice and collaborative piano, recent among them Dawn Upshaw, Warren Jones, Stephanie Blythe, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Barbara Hannigan, Stephen Wadsworth, Judith Forst, the late Jessye Norman and Eric Owens. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we were pleased to host distinguished artists for a series of virtual residencies: Lawrence Brownlee, Graham Johnson, Denyce Graves, Steven Blier, Joyce DiDonato and Susan Graham. The John R. Stratton Visitors for 2022-23 were Margo Garrett, Martha Guth and Graham Johnson. In 2023-24, the Faculty of Music welcomes Patricia Caicedo and Will Crutchfield.

John and Claudine Bailey Distinguished Visitor in Jazz

Established in 2014 by arts philanthropists John and Claudine Bailey, this visitorship brings a jazz performer/arranger to the Faculty. Bailey Visitors have included Mike Holober, Dave Liebman, Norma Winstone, Renee Rosnes, Tim Hagans, Andy Milne, Dr. Tammy Kernodle and Terri Lyne Carrington. For 2023-24, the Faculty of Music welcomes Nicole Mitchell.

Ethnomusicology Performance Artists in Residence

This program, still seeking sustaining sponsorship, allows for a superb artist of international repute to spend one term with the Faculty's leading ethnomusicology graduate program. Past artists-in-residence include Pedram Khavarzamini, Raigelee Alorut, Vaughan Hatch & Putu Evie Suyadnyani, Henrique Cazes, Pura Fé, Dong Won-Kim, I Wayan Sinti and Ilmas Husain Khan. Inspired interactions include teaching our students by leading ensembles, giving workshops, participating in our classes, giving talks, helping with our research, and performing for the University and wider Toronto communities. We welcome any expressions of interest in sponsoring this; please contact Director of Advancement Tyler Greenleaf.

Kenneth H. Peacock Lecturer

Established through a bequest from Canadian ethnomusicologist, composer, and pianist Kenneth Peacock (1922-2000), the Peacock Lecturers are distinguished scholars in humanities-based research in music, such as Carl Schachter, Peter Williams, Kerala J. Snyder, Kay Kaufman Shelemay, Alexander Rehding, Scott Burnham, Suzanne Cusick, George E. Lewis, Ellie M. Hisama, Jarrett Martineau, Annegret Fauser and Kofi Agawu. The Faculty of Music welcomes André de Quadros in 2023-24.

Herman Geiger-Torel Lecture

Established to honour Herman Geiger-Torel (1913-1976), longtime General Director of the Canadian Opera Company (COC) and major influence on the development of the Faculty of Music's Opera Division. The annual lecture brings a distinguished figure in the opera world such as former COC General Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Johannes Debus, as well as John Adams, Sir Andrew Davis, Tim Albery, Sir Thomas Allen, Joel Ivany, Stephen Clarke, and Linda and Michael Hutcheon.

Lorand Fenyves Resident Artist

Lorand Fenyves (1918-2004) was a world-leading violin pedagogue who taught for many years at U of T Music. The Residency was established by his colleagues, friends, and students and honours his legacy by bringing distinguished artists and teachers to U of T Music biannually. Visitors have included Peter Frankl, Steven Isserlis, Miriam Fried, Menahem Pressler, Atar Arad, and Laurence Lesser. In 2022-23 the Fenyves Resident Artists were Steven Isserlis and Connie Shih. 

Riki Turofsky Masterclass in Voice

Supported annually by distinguished Canadian soprano and U of T alumna Riki Turofsky, past visitors include Michael Schade, John Fanning, Sondra Radvanovsky, Adrienne Pieczonka, Stephen Lord, Johannes Debus, Ben Heppner, Thomas Hampson, Tamara Wilson, Joyce El-Khoury, Adrianne Pieczonka and Elliot Madore. The Turofsky visitor in 2023-24 is Jordan de Souza.

Resident & Visiting Ensembles

U of T Music is the privileged host of many Resident & Visiting Ensembles. Hosting ensembles is another way we provide rich experiences for our community. The ensembles bring scholarship, performance, and mentorship to our stages and classrooms - we bring the opportunity to work with students.

Our partnerships extend to all of the major performing ensembles and arts organizations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Resident Ensemble the Gryphon Trio, one of the world's preeminent piano trios, includes U of T Music faculty violinist Annalee Patipatinakoon and pianist James Parker. Together with cellist Roman Borys, the Gryphons mentor the next generation of chamber musicians including the Bedford Trio, the inaugural Irene R. Miller Piano Trio in Residence.