Daniel John Taylor, O.C., one of Canada’s most celebrated cultural ambassadors, brilliant countertenor, leading choral conductor and sought-after teacher of voice has been awarded the inaugural National Medal for Music. The announcement was made shortly after Taylor was officially inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Established in 2023, the National Medal for Music, Canada’s highest honour in Music, will be awarded every year to two outstanding leaders who have had a major and positive influence on the cultural life and climate of the nation. The award recognizes exceptional achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Those honored have made remarkable contributions that have lifted the spirits and enriched the lives of others, and made a compassionate, meaningful difference to the country through acts of kindness, courage and heartfelt conviction. Daniel Taylor shares the 2023 honour with legendary social democrat and former leader of the NDP party, the great Canadian political icon Ed Broadbent.
In December, Daniel Taylor received one of Canada’s highest civilian honours when Governor General Mary Simons named him as Officer of the Order of Canada. The induction recognizes people “whose service shapes our society; whose innovations ignite our imaginations; and whose compassion unites our communities”. In recognizing his achievements, the Office of the Governor General of Canada calls him “one of our country’s most celebrated cultural ambassadors, distinguishing himself with moving performances and known for his warmth and humour.” The Honourable Ed Broadbent, C.C., is highly respected for leading those from the ‘left’ while welcoming all and sharing in constructive political discussions, focusing on a tireless advocacy for the disadvantaged. He has also quietly been a lifelong supporter of the Arts, of classical music and of the work of Maria Callas and Dame Emma Kirkby, amongst others. Broadbent continues to be admired by Canadians across the political spectrum. Julian Armour, Artistic and Executive Director of one of the largest Canadian major cultural festivals was the driving force behind the creation of the National Medal for Music and led the nomination of Broadbent and Taylor. Armour announced the award during a concert event in which Taylor was replacing an indisposed Karina Gauvin; Dr. Broadbent was also in attendance.
Upcoming engagements for Daniel Taylor include appearances in the United States and Canada, Germany, France, Italy and his much-anticipated return for a series of concerts at Wigmore Hall in London, UK alongside a set of new recordings featuring Taylor as soloist and as director.
A founding artistic director and conductor of the Theatre of Early Music and of his critically acclaimed ensemble The Trinity Choir, Taylor is also a popular University voice instructor in Canada. His building of the Historical Performance Area at the University of Toronto, featuring a starry lineup of guest artists, has put the Faculty of Music on the map. Over the past few years, The Tallis Scholars, Voces8, The Gabrieli Consort, Les Arts Florissants, Jordan de Souza, Nancy Argenta, Dame Emma Kirkby, Catherine Wyn-Rogers and Joyce DiDonato all have accepted his invitation to meet with his students. He brought young Metropolitan Opera star Rihab Chaieb to give her first masterclass, invited the first Indigenous Artist-in-Residence in the history of the faculty, baritone Jonathon Adams, and welcomed Barbara Hannigan and Angela Hewitt for their first online masterclasses.
Daniel Taylor is praised by the critics and audience alike as ‘Canada’s finest Countertenor’ (Globe and Mail). Since his early career debuts at the Metropolitan Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, and the Rome Opera, his voice has been hailed as an “unwavering spirit carried aloft above the tumult of earthly existence” (Toronto Star). The Times says the “Beauty of his voice will stop you in your tracks…” while The Guardian calls him “Part Angel, Part Man.” With his most recent music video topping 500,000 views and his latest disc release streaming more than 1 million listeners, Taylor hopes to see the classical music world move beyond labels and discrimination, concepts and image before substance, to embrace real and positive change:
“I believe in truth, beauty and goodness, even through times of international crises and disinformation. I strive to unite these three ideals in my own life and to bring them together in collective expression through performance. Part of our responsibility is to listen and to learn from our difficult past. The other part of our responsibility is to lead. Everyone belongs to our diverse communities and everyone has a story to share. Music and identity should not be confused with music and identity politics. Music must always be inclusive. Beauty can be seen through many different lenses and we must not insist that there is only one way to look at music or, indeed, to look at life. We are here to be in the meaningful service of others.”
About Daniel John Taylor, O.C.
Daniel Taylor is praised for his brilliance as a solo artist, as a leading light on the international choral stages, and ‘one of finest counter-tenors in the world’, who is also an inspiring cultural leader and ambassador for classical music, bringing artists and listeners together in community and friendship.
He is also highly regarded as a social advocate, devoted university professor and mentor to the next generation of singers. As an Officer of the Order of Canada, Taylor joins an esteemed list of leaders named over the past 50 years in public service, science, and the arts, such as Joni Mitchell, Celine Dion, and Oscar Peterson, the Nobel prize laureate John Polanyi, author Margaret Atwood, sports icons Wayne Gretzky, Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue and Terry Fox. As the Director of Musical Studies, Head of Historical Performance and Professor at the University of Toronto, Taylor is known for his advocacy for the disabled. Taylor has traveled across North America and Europe, to Africa as well as to Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and China to offer workshops, masterclasses and recitals.
With his University course lectures in high demand, hundreds of students and young professionals have trained with Daniel Taylor in Toronto and in courses all over the world. From the baritones Jonathon Adams, Joel Allison and Geoffrey Sirett, tenors Isaiah Bell and Owen McCausland, sopranos Rebecca Genge, Jane Fingler, Bronwyn Thies-Thompson, Sinead White and Jennifer Wilson to the countertenors Nicholas Burns, Ryan McDonald, Mikay Meyer and Ian Sabourin, his students show themselves to be exceptional artists appearing all over the world on the leading stages and they all share the same care for text and dedication to storytelling that sets Taylor apart from others.
Taylor thanks the guidance of his own teachers and mentors including the late Jonathon Miller, the late James Bowman, the late Jan Simons, Richard Dacey, Nancy Argenta and Ingrid Attrot, Michael Chance, Mel Braun, Lynn Dawson, Bill Neill, Jane Randolph, Monica Huisman, Ingemar Korjus, Sandra Graham, Dame Emma Kirkby and two of his colleagues from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, famed instructors Jean MacPhail and Mary Morrison. Taylor further expresses his respect and sincere admiration for his co-nominee, The Honourable Ed Broadbent. Taylor is especially moved by the continuing support of his parents, his wife and children, and friends, students and community during the last few challenging years.
Additional operatic engagements have included the San Francisco Opera, the Welsh Opera, Opéra de Montréal, and the Canadian Opera Company. Taylor has performed with the Edinburgh Festival, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, the symphonies of Madrid, Dallas and Toronto, with Tafelmusik and Les Violons du Roy, and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. He has been heard in recital at the BBC Proms; Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw: Zürich’s Tonhalle; China’s Forbidden City; Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; and at Carnegie Hall. Additional performances include world tours with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir; projects with actors Ralph Fiennes, Jeremy Irons, Megan Follows, the late Martha Henry; and with the late Ryuichi Sakamoto in his opera, Life, which was narrated by the Dalai Lama. He also appears on Cirque du Soleil recordings of Totem and Avatar.
The award-winning recordings of his professional choirs on SONY have been compared favourably to The Tallis Scholars and Voces8, as among the very best in the world, having streamed in the millions online. Taylor may be heard on over 120 albums and in films on labels including DG Archiv, BIS, Warner, DECCA, SONY and on the major Canadian labels. Taylor’s productions have been recognized with numerous awards including a GRAMMY Award, Diapason d’Or, BBC Music Awards, JUNO Award, and Quebec’s ADISQ, among many others.
He is also the recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.
He lives in Toronto with his wife and three children.
Upcoming Performances
May 28
Bach
In concert
Toronto Bach Festival
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
June 18 – July 2
Bach/Pergolesi
In concert and teaching at the
Oberlin Conservatory
Oberlin, Ohio, USA
with Emma Kirkby, Molly Netter
and James Taylor
July 5 – 14
Bach/Handel
In concerts and recitals at the
Ottawa Festival of Music and Beyond
Ottawa, Canada
July 22 – July 30
Bach/Handel/Pärt
In concert and teaching at the
Paris International Music Academy, Paris, France
with Daniel Lichti
August 7 – August 20
Bach/Handel
In concert and teaching at the
Musiktage am Rhein
Engers, Germany
with Daniel Lichti
August 25 – September 2
Dowland, New and Traditional Folk songs
In concert and teaching at the
SienAgosto
Siena, Italy
with Michael Chance and
Lynne Dawson
