Members

John Barnum

John Barnum is in his 17th season as Music Director of the Georgian Bay Symphony. For John, this association has been more than a musical one. Owen Sound and environs has been part of his life since childhood through a continuing relationship with a cabin at Big Bay. The area has given him life-long friends. The orchestra has added extensively to the list of people who have played important roles in his personal and musical development. John has been Music Director of the Orchestras Mississauga (Mississauga Symphony, Mississauga Philharmonic, Sinfonia Mississauga) for 28 years. He is also the Music Director of The Huronia Symphony in the Barrie/Orillia area and the Scarborough Philharmonic.

He had a long association with The Royal Conservatory of Music, which included Directorship of The Royal Conservatory Orchestra and The Orchestral Training Program. For many years, John taught conducting at The University of Toronto. His choral directorships included The Orpheus Choir of Toronto, The Edmonton Opera Chorus, and The Edmonton Symphony Chorus. He has had a great deal of youth orchestra experience, particularly noting his positions with The Mississauga, Kitchener -Waterloo Symphony and Edmonton Youth Orchestras. Mr. Barnum has held positions as Assistant Conductor of The Edmonton Symphony and Resident Conductor of The Thunder Bay Symphony. He had an extensive career as violist before devoting full energies to conducting.

John Barnum was born in Guelph where he received his formative musical training. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra for many years and completed undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto. He interrupted his professional career on a number of occasions for studies in France and Italy with Igor Markevitch and Franco Ferrara.