Biography

Gillian Howard enjoys a rich and varied career performing on both modern and period instruments. She has appeared as oboist and English horn player with ensembles including Esprit Orchestra, the Shaw Festival, Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, Windsor Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Sinfonia Toronto, Toronto Mozart Players, and Talisker Players, and has performed at the Elora Festival and the Festival of the Sound. As a chamber musician, Gillian has recorded, arranged, and performed both new and traditional repertoire for wind quintet. On Baroque oboe, she has appeared with Tafelmusik, Trinity Bach Project, Aradia Ensemble, Toronto Bach Festival, Theatre of Early Music, Montreal Baroque, Toronto Masque Theatre, and Nota Bene Baroque Players. Gillian holds Master’s degrees in Performance and Musicology from the University of Toronto, and brings more than 30 years of teaching experience to her students. She teaches oboe at York University and oboe pedagogy at the University of Toronto, and has nurtured young musicians in Toronto District School Board arts programs for over two decades. Principal Oboe of the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra since 2010, Gillian is featured on the SPO’s acclaimed recordings A Canadian Panorama and Canadian Expedition, which showcase new chamber music and works for wind ensemble by Canadian composers. She also sings sacred music, both ancient and contemporary, with Schola Magdalena and the Gallery Choir of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.