Following the news of the departure of current TSO RBC Resident Conductor Earl Lee to Pittsburg, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra have named Simon Rivard as TSO Resident Conductor & Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) effective for the 2018/19 season.
Named as one of CBC’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30” in 2017, Rivard was described by incoming Interim Artistic Director Sir Andrew Davis as a “gifted young conductor who radiates energy. Along with the musicians of the TSO and TSYO, I look forward to working with Simon and to fostering his impressive talent.”
Rivard was chosen after a national search that ended in a shortlist of candidates for a live audition with both the TSO and TSYO earlier this spring.
As an is an alumnus of the Montreal Conservatory of Music, he studied under with Raffi Armenian, and completed his studies in conducting at McGill University with Alexis Hauser and Guillaume Bourgogne.
His resume includes stints with the Ottawa Choral Society, the Orchestre de la Francophonie, and most recently, he has served as Associate Conductor of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra since 2017.
“We’re over the moon for Simon and celebrate his success,” Linda Penner, the president of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra said in a statement. “This comes as no surprise to us, knowing when we hired him that he was destined for great things.”
Beginning next season, Rivard will work with Sir Andrew Davis and the TSO, and be given access to observe all TSO rehearsals and performances. He will also be given the opportunity to consult with visiting guest conductors.
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