In Wednesday’s (4/23) Toronto Star, Martin Knelman writes that the Toronto Symphony Orchestra “has landed Jeff Melanson, one of the hottest players in Canada’s arts world, as its next CEO, two weeks after his surprise resignation as president of the Banff Centre.” Melanson will remain at Banff until the end of the September and start in his new position on November 1. “At 40, he is known as a cultural visionary, a hugely successful fundraiser, a savvy political operator with a deep understanding of both music and big business. Before moving to Banff in early 2012, he established himself as a wonder boy of the Toronto arts world during stints at the Royal Conservatory of Music and then the National Ballet School…. Melanson also served as an effective liaison between the city’s arts community and the mayor’s office during Rob Ford’s first year in office, famously extracting a pledge from Ford not to slash arts funding.” Melanson holds a bachelor of music from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, pursued vocal studies at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and holds an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada. In an announcement from the TSO, Music Director Peter Oundjian said, “Jeff has an extremely charismatic personality and I find the idea of working together very energizing.”
Posted April 25, 2014
