Canadian classical music

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Music of Canada
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Genres: Blues - Celtic - Classical - Folk - Hip hop - Jazz - Pop - Rock
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The term classical music in this article refers to the western or European classical music tradition. Canada’s multi-cultural population includes a majority of people of European descent, especially among its earliest settlers. Therefore, the nation’s most established music schools and ensembles specialize in the western tradition, which includes a range of styles from the Medieval era up to the present. Canada’s cultural mosaic has also lead to the continuation of other classical music styles within its ethnic communities. Examples of these include Indian classical music and Chinese classical music. The focus of this article will be the western classical tradition.

Western classical music is an international phenomenon and has continued to experience growth in Canada since its emergence as a nation in 1867. Since that time, the young country has produced composers of its own that have contributed to contemporary classical music literature and it has also produced musicians and ensembles that are internationally renown for their performance and interpretation of classical works. Canada also attracts classical musicians from around the globe to perform and to become employed within its borders. Similarly, Canadian musicians are involved in ensembles and musical institutions throughout the world.

Canada has an international reputation for its classical musicians, ensembles, and music schools. The country is fortunate to have a large number of fine teachers and training institutions, as well as a high level of public interest in classical music and education. Due to a lack of political will, however, Canadian orchestras and performing ensembles continue to suffer from a deficit of financial resources. Nevertheless, Canada has produced a number of internationally renown musicians and ensembles and has attracted some of the world's greatest musicians, conductors, and teachers to work within its musical community.

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Professional opera companies and orchestras are not naturally suited to the country of Canada. This is because staging professional opera and orchestral performances is an extremely expensive undertaking. To hire 40 to 50 musicians or more (plus support staff) on a 52-week contract, which will include performance and rehearsals, combined with expenses of renting concert hall space and the required advertising and promotion costs ultimately guarantee that the venture will lose money even with completely sold out shows. Classical music organizations are more likely to flourish in nations that have a denser population, such as European nations or south of the Canadian border. Even in Europe the classical music industry is completely underwritten by the state, while in the United States it would not exist without corporate sponsorship. Canada does not have very many large cities, and its cities are spread thousands of kilometers apart. These factors, combined with a Canadian climate that demands first priority over aesthetic endeavors, have presented challenges to the Canadian classical music industry.

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.

Joseph Rescigno conducting the Orchestre Métropolitain
Joseph Rescigno conducting the Orchestre Métropolitain
Victor Braun as Duke Bluebeard in the 1993 Canadian Opera Company's production of Bluebeard's Castle.
Victor Braun as Duke Bluebeard in the 1993 Canadian Opera Company's production of Bluebeard's Castle.
Opera baritone Gino Quilico
Opera baritone Gino Quilico
Opera contralto Portia White
Opera contralto Portia White
Naida Cole, pianist
Naida Cole, pianist
Norbert Kraft, guitarist
Norbert Kraft, guitarist
Liona Boyd, guitarist
Liona Boyd, guitarist
R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943), African-Canadian composer, pianist and conductor
R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943), African-Canadian composer, pianist and conductor

Symphony orchestras:

Baroque orchestras and chamber ensembles:

Canadian violinists:

Non-Canadian violinists within the Canadian music community:

Canadian and non-Canadian conductors of instrumental and vocal ensembles in Canada:

The primary source of classical music on Canadian radio is the national CBC Radio Two network, which also airs some jazz and popular music programming.

There are only three commercial radio stations in Canada offering a classical music format:

The CKUA radio network in Alberta also airs some classical music programming, as do some campus radio and community radio stations.

All radio stations in Canada are required by the CRTC to meet Canadian content targets. For classical music stations, the requirement is 20 per cent Canadian content.

The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

  • Glenn Gould Prize
  • Banff International String Quartet Competition
  • Montreal International Music Competition/Concours international de musique de Montréal
  • Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition for the Performance of Canadian Music/Concours national de musique Eckhardt-Gramatté
  • John Robb Organ Competition/Concours d'orgue John-Robb
  • Canadian Kiwanis Festival
  • Opera Canada Awards (The Rubbies)
  • The 1985 International Bach Piano Competition/Concours International Bach de Piano 1985
  • Juno Awards

Some of the major concert halls that are home to a professional performing group:

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