Canadian classical music

In Canada, classical music includes a range of musical styles rooted in the traditions of Western or European classical music that European settlers brought to the country from the 1600s and onwards. As well, it includes musical styles brought by other ethnic communities from the 1800s and onwards, such as Indian classical music (Hindustani and Carnatic music) and Chinese classical music. 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 great deal 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 and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as well as a number of well-known Baroque orchestras and chamber ensembles, such as the
I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir. Major Canadian opera companies such as the Canadian Opera Company have nurtured the talents of Canadian opera singers such as Maureen Forrester, Ben Heppner, and Jon Vickers. Well-known Canadian musicians include pianist Glenn Gould; violinist James Ehnes; flautist Timothy Hutchins; and composers R. Murray Schafer and Harry Somers. Well-known music schools include the Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada) in Toronto and the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montréal.

Ensembles and performers

Orchestras and ensembles

Concert halls with resident performing groups:
*Place des Arts (Montreal)
*Francis Winspear Centre for Music (Edmonton)
*Jack Singer Concert Hall (Calgary Centre for Performing Arts)
*Centennial Concert Hall (Winnipeg)
*National Arts Centre (Ottawa)
*Sony Center for the Arts (Toronto)
*Four Seasons Centre (Toronto)
*Roy Thomson Hall (Toronto)
*Massey Hall (Toronto)
*Toronto Centre for the Arts (Toronto)
* Living Arts Centre (Mississauga)
*Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Vancouver)
*Rebecca Cohn Auditorium (Halifax)

Awards and competitions

*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

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.

See also

*André Gagnon
*Jorane
*Domaine Forget

External links

* [http://www.opera.ca opera.ca] An association of many Canadian opera companies.
* [http://www.chamberfest.com chamberfest] Ottawa Chamber Music Society.