TORONTO, January 24, 2022 – The Royal Conservatory is pleased to announce the appointment of Colin Clarke as Artistic Director of the Oscar Peterson Program – a new initiative that will provide comprehensive musical training, tuition free, for young people in underserved communities – at the Oscar Peterson School of Music.
Mr. Clarke is currently best known as the founder and Artistic Director of the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra (TYWO) and his enthusiasm and commitment to music education and outreach permeate his work as a conductor, composer/arranger, clinician, and adjudicator.
Mr. Clarke has guest conducted several orchestras and choirs including collaborations with the United States Air Force Band of Liberty (Boston, Massachusetts), the Canadian Brass, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Symphony Orchestra of Sofia, Bulgaria, and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. He served as conductor of the National Youth Band of Canada (2008) and is the artistic director and conductor of the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra. He is a recipient of the Clifford Evans Award for Conducting at the University of Western Ontario and was awarded the Ontario Band Association’s Lifetime Membership Award in 2020 for his contribution to music education in Ontario. Mr. Clarke will maintain his positions with TYWO and other orchestras.
“I am so excited about joining the Oscar Peterson School and developing the new Oscar Peterson Program,” stated Mr. Clarke. “I’ve dedicated my career to connecting with communities through music and music education, and I cannot express enough my delight in having the opportunity to be able to continue this work with The Royal Conservatory.”
Said Dr. Peter Simon, President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory, “Colin’s tremendous passion for music education and his dedication to working with young people make him the ideal person to lead this ground-breaking initiative at the Oscar Peterson School and support our commitment to building on Oscar’s legacy of musical excellence.”
The Royal Conservatory will be launching the Oscar Peterson Program in the fall of 2022. Details will be announced in the coming months.
ABOUT: The Royal Conservatory of Music is one of the largest and most respected music education institutions in the world, providing the definitive standard of excellence in curriculum design, assessment, performance training, teacher certification, and arts-based social programs. rcmusic.com
ABOUT
The Oscar Peterson School of Music offers a wide variety of private lessons and group classes for people of all ages, levels, and artistic interests. The Peterson School is dedicated to excellence in music education, developing new and innovative programs to meet the needs of students, and presenting educational opportunities that are utilized by a highly diverse student base. rcmusic.com/PetersonSchool
